Not Your Average Carthaki Fairy Tale
by Lady Silvamord
Summary: Every generation has a fairy tale. Sometimes, though, things don’t work out that perfectly. Empress Kalasin and Emperor Kaddar Iliniat of Carthak weren’t exactly a...traditional...couple. This is their story. Complete!
1. Prologue

Not Your Average Carthaki Fairy Tale

"Every generation has a fairy tale. Sometimes though, things don't work out that perfectly. Empress Kalasin and Emperor Kaddar Iliniat of Carthak weren't exactly a…traditional...couple. This is their story."

--

**Prologue**

Every generation has a fairy tale.

Every nation has a story that lasts throughout the ages.

Most of these stories are about princesses who marry kings, bring change to a ravaged country, and live happily ever after. In these stories, usually everybody ends up happy, and true, everlasting love is a factor.

Usually.

Sometimes, things don't work out that perfectly. Sometimes, there are…roadblocks. Deterrents. Sometimes, you don't fall in love over a kiss or a moonlit evening.

When two drastically different people from backgrounds as different as flame and ice marry, sometimes, they clash. Especially when both have strong sarcastic streaks, are extremely stubborn, and neither is especially fond of admitting mistakes.

Such is the story of Empress Kalasin and Emperor Kaddar Iliniat of Carthak. They weren't exactly a…traditional…couple. Both were more likely to argue, yell, or otherwise snipe at each other than sit in harmony, talk to animals, or cooperate to rebuild a country.

Not your average fairy tale material.

Maybe their relationship wasn't conventional. But then again, not many things about them were. Despite the lack of magical animals, cooperation, and harmony, they managed to make things work, somehow. And the legend of the first rulers of House Iliniat still lives on today, along with their descendants.

This is their story.

--


	2. Enter The Reluctant Players

**Chapter One**

--

It had been a typical day in the life of Kaddar Iliniat. Difficult decisions, determined counselors, and a very obdurate wife. Each was horrible enough in itself, but when combined, well…it was like throwing alcohol on blazebalm. Kalasin's reaction to the decision that he had made without consulting her had been almost as fiery. Actually, she had thrown a cushion at him. And yelled and screamed. There had been door-slamming involved, too.

Kalasin had been gone for a little over two hours now, and Kaddar had to admit that he was getting a little worried. But knowing her, she might have gone and hidden somewhere in one of the various libraries…

He flashed back to her furious outburst before she left, and winced to himself. More likely, she was riding outside somewhere, venting her temper on the elements. If that was the case, part of him wanted to let her get sopping wet, windblown, and then for her to come back with a severe cold. It served her right.

Knowing his luck, she might just get pneumonia and _die._ And Kaddar didn't want that on his conscience. Besides, if she died, he would be bullied into marrying…_again._ It was better to deal with Kalasin's known evil than an unknown one, at least.

With that thought, he saddled his stallion Westwind up, and went looking for his stubborn pig of a wife, feeling very benevolent. If it weren't for his compassion, she would probably be locked out and miserable for the rest of the night, after all.

Within ten minutes, he felt less benevolent, and more annoyed. He had scoured the entire east side of the courtyard, and no Kalasin.

Ten more minutes passed, and by that time, Kaddar was past annoyed. He was soaked through and through, his horse was making distinctly irritated noises, and he was feeling a headache coming on.

He sincerely hoped that Kalasin was more miserable than he was, and covered with mud, to boot.

Finally, he saw Kalasin's mare through the fog, and not too far from there, a huddled black form under a tree. Kaddar recognized the huddled black form immediately, and noted (with a touch of sadistic pleasure) that it was covered in mud. As he drew closer, he noticed that her head was buried in her arms, and that her shoulders were shaking.

That threw him a little. Kalasin never cried. She seemed more of the type to roar in anger instead of crying. After a few moments of internal debate, he dismounted and wrapped his cloak around her shoulders gently. She looked up at him, red-eyed. "What are you doing here?"

"No questions." Kaddar said sternly. "And don't protest—it won't do any good." Ignoring her squeak of objection, he lifted her up onto his horse before mounting the skittish stallion.

She buried her head in his cloak and sniffled. "Don't say anything."

Kaddar couldn't help but take a perverse pleasure in the situation. "Why should I? I can say 'I told you so' in eight different languages anytime; I don't have to say anything now." He fumbled with the lock on the palace doors, and then paled. "Ah, Kalasin."

"What?"

"We're locked out."

It was a very miserable imperial couple that sat under a tree, dripping wet, and silent.

"Kaddar?" Kalasin ventured timidly, both her ankle and her pride still hurting.

"Mmm?"

"Next time, if you ever win a debate, tie me up to the bedpost. It's safer."

"Tempting, but I wouldn't wish to harm you. Too much."

Kalasin looked as if she had a biting reply to make, but instead closed her eyes tight and rubbed her injured ankle with a small sound of pain.

Maybe he was going soft, but Kaddar couldn't help but pity her, just a little. "…Do you want to rest your head on me?" he asked abruptly.

She looked at him, her eyes unreadable. "I'd rather not," she said simply, leaning her head against the tree.

"Oh." They were silent again, and Kaddar realized that Kalasin had fallen asleep. She almost lost her balance and fell into a puddle of mud again, but he didn't try to pull her away from the mud.

He just moved her head slightly, so that she fell a few inches away from the mud puddle, one of her legs draped over his.

"You're like an irate zebra, except worse," he murmured.

Her leg twitched in her sleep, digging the heel of her boot into his leg.

"I almost like you this way. In the way one would 'like' their archenemy or the person who tries to kill them on a regular basis."

The boot heel dug further, and he winced.

"Almost."

---

--

-


	3. A Relationship, Or Lack Thereof

**Chapter Two**

**--**

Kaddar woke up stiff, cold, and wet. His back hurt from being pressed against the tree for so long, his leg hurt from where Kalasin had so ruthlessly planted her boot heel, and the light drizzle and the gray of the pre-dawn sky did nothing to cheer him up.

Part of him just wanted to fall back asleep, but with his current aches and pains, that would be impossible. He realized that the rational solution would be to get back up and drag himself back into the palace and take a nice, hot bath, and then possibly go to sleep in a real bed.

Kalasin made a little mumbling noise in her sleep, kicking him in the leg again. Resisting the temptation to just leave her there (because if he did, this lovely little excursion would have all been a waste), he hooked one arm under her knees and the other under her back and picked her up. Westwind and Sari had long since deserted their humans, and left for the warmth and dryness of the stables.

Which left him to carry her all the way over to the doors, or at least, _trying_ to carry her without severely injuring himself. Small and delicate? The thought almost made him laugh. Kalasin may have _looked_ small and delicate, but she hardly felt that way.

After fiddling with the lock with one hand, Kaddar noted with relief that somebody had unlocked it. He swung the door open…

…and found himself face to face with one of the people he did _not_ want to see right now. "…I can explain."

Zaimid gaped at him. "Explain _what_? I knew you and Kalasin have certain, ah, _dynamics_, to your relationship that I can't quite understand, but surely there were better times for outdoor trysts than last night! The poor girl is almost blue. What did you _do_ to her? Tie her up to the tree in the middle of the pond?"

Kaddar almost dropped her. "Dynamics? Relationship?" He glowered for a moment, and then drew himself up to his full height. "Kalasin and I do not have _dynamics._ We do not have a _relationship._ And we were _not_ having an outdoor tryst!"

Zaimid gave him a look. "Oh, of course. Trysts have to be willing. And I don't blame her for seeking a little alone time, if you _are_ into bondage and torture techniques."

Kaddar glared. "Speaking of bondage and torture, I've been wanting to show you around the new dungeons for a while now. Something tells me you would enjoy the place greatly. Lots of rats. Festering diseases. Chains. Skeletons."

Rolling his eyes, Zaimid smirked at him. "Actually, no. I think that would be a perfect place for you and your lovely Kalasin to release some of your pent-up sexual frustration. I have no doubt that she'd jump at the chance to chain _you_ up, for a change. In any case, I must take my leave now. See, _I _have better things to do than fulfilling my strange whims on an innocent girl. Unlike some others I know."

Fuming, Kaddar took the stairs up two at a time, until he and the still-sleeping Kalasin had arrived at their chambers. _Pent-up sexual frustration, my foot,_ he thought with a scowl. _And I do _not_ have strange whims._

Still muttering to himself, he dumped a soft towel on the bed so that Kalasin wouldn't drip all over it and deposited her unceremoniously on top of it. Half-expecting her to come awake and yell at him for handling her less than gently, he winced. Instead, she rolled over, shivering slightly.

Kaddar sighed and gathered extra blankets from around the room, tucking them around her until she was encased in a warm nest. Then she made a happier sound, wrapping herself a little tighter. He stared at her for a moment. Kalasin was _very_ high-maintenance. Not like a zebra at all. More like a cat.

Part of him wondered if Kalasin could purr.

He _had_ been around Zaimid for too long.

Kaddar left her alone to sleep. A hot bath sounded _very_ appealing right now.

--

When Kalasin woke up, the first thing she realized was that she couldn't feel anything except cold and blankets. Which was why she yelped aloud, startling a robe-clad Kaddar out of the book he was reading.

"What are you doing?" she demanded. "How did we get here, why am I cold and wet…and…did you undress me?"

If he had expected to hear anything, it wasn't that. "I did _not _undress you! Your clothes are just wet all over, that's all!"

Kalasin clutched the blankets close, and was relieved to note that all articles of clothing were safely on her. "How did you know they were wet all over?"

"I noticed as I was _carrying_ you all the way over here." Kaddar was starting to get fed up. First Zaimid, now Kalasin. Why did _everybody_ think he wanted to ravish and/or undress somebody? Couldn't he just be a lonely, asexual person in peace?

Kaddar shook the last thought out of his head. It wasn't safe to entertain such notions unless one was drunk. "What makes you think I'd undress you?" he asked, genuinely curious. "I don't exactly express my feelings by stripping someone's clothes off and hiding them around the room."

Kalasin shrugged, sitting up and wrapping her arms around her knees. "You're a man," she said dryly. "A stubborn one, with a streak of strange Carthaki humor. What am I supposed to expect?"

He smirked at her. "Don't give yourself airs. I wouldn't exactly ravish you right now."

"Why?" she asked, sounding hurt.

"You're cold, wet, wearing black riding leathers, you're also not in the best of moods, and your hair is knotted and stringy right now."

Kalasin gave him a look. "If I was warm, dry, happy, my hair was brushed and gleaming, and I was wearing a red silk nightgown, would you?"

He gave her an inscrutable gaze. "…If you wanted me to."

"Oh." She fidgeted slightly.

"Go back to sleep. I'll be in the study if you need me." He reached out, as if he was going to touch her hair, and hesitated, pulling his hand back.

Kaddar left quietly, leaving Kalasin alone with her now-troubled thoughts.

---

--

-


	4. A Tiny Truce

**Chapter Three**

**--**

It was late afternoon when Kalasin woke up from her troubled sleep, not feeling very rested. How could she? She had dreamed about Kaddar, and this time he wasn't wearing a bright lime green ball gown. Now that she was awake, she couldn't even _remember_ the dream, which was really quite pathetic.

The only thing she remembered was a kiss. On her _lips._ A very long, lingering one. And for some reason, he had tickled her nose with a dandelion. And then, she had broken away, leaning into his embrace. After that, they had watched the sun set.

Kalasin didn't know whether to laugh, or to retch. She and Kaddar didn't kiss and watch sunsets. They swatted each other with quills and sat out on the balcony and argued, ignoring the sunset or the chirps of little birds. Until now, she had never thought about it, really—except replaying their conversations for opportunities to find new sarcastic comebacks. She still didn't know _why_ this dream bothered her so much.

Except maybe for the fact that in her dream, she had enjoyed being kissed.

Kalasin thought about it for a moment, and came up with two reasonable solutions. One was that he had spiked the last thing she drank before she had fallen asleep with a dream—_nightmare_—potion. The other was that the cold temperature had gotten to her, and she was linking the last person she had seen before falling asleep to any random thoughts. She favored the second possibility. It was the one that aroused less negative feelings in her.

After she had taken a well deserved hot bath and dressed in clothes that weren't wet and muddy, Kalasin felt much better. She wandered around their chambers for a while, wondering why Kaddar hadn't popped out of the study to ask her why she cleaned up so well, but couldn't manage to be nice for an entire day. She stuck her head into the study, finding it empty, save for a parchment note on the desk.

_Kalasin, I'll be in the gardens if you need me._

Under that was a scribbled-out drawing. It was certainly a freakish animal, Kalasin observed curiously. One half of its face was a cat's. The other half was a zebra, complete with stripes. Strangest of all, the half-cat half-zebra had an enormous amount of what she assumed was long, black hair. And it was wearing a crown. That wasn't all. The eyes seemed to have been dyed with something resembling blueberry juice.

…Oh.

Kalasin blushed hard, dropped the note, and collapsed into his favorite armchair, scuffing the black leather with her fluffy slippers. That _idiot._ He was so _strange._ Responsible, _mature,_ her senior by six years, and he acted like this? It was a _caricature,_ for Mithros' sake.

She buried her still-burning face in her hands. "I hate you," she said aloud, voice muffled. "I love to hate you. I will hate you for the rest of our days together, from this day forth to the day of our death. From health to sickness, from prosperity to poverty, I will make your life miserable. I will not have you _or_ hold you; I will despise you and poke you with my quill."

"Are you happy, Kaddar Iliniat?"

She just sat there for a long time, trying to calm herself, and marveled at how complicated her life had become. Living on the brink of all-out war with the person you shared a room with wasn't very easy. Except they didn't just share a room. They shared a bed (which was rather inconvenient when Kaddar decided he wanted to have all the blankets to himself), a library, a study, and a country.

And their _lives._

Kalasin had never really thought of it that way before. That one way or another, she and Kaddar would be together for the rest of their lives. They would continue to rule Carthak together, and—she almost squeaked at the thought—there would have to be heirs. _Children._

Kalasin tried to imagine doing…that…with Kaddar, and failed. They hadn't kissed since their wedding, except for certain occasions where it was mandatory. Even then, she had half-expected him to bite her lip. After all, she would do the same.

Involuntarily, she flashed back to her dream. There had been no lip-biting then. Actually…there was one little incident…but that had been very enjoyable, and not painful at all.

Kalasin froze as she remembered another detail. It was _them._ The Kally and Kaddar in her dream were enjoying themselves. They weren't worried, stressed, angry, or exhausted. They were relaxed, enjoying each other's company. And her dream-self had felt comfortable with him, not on her guard or preparing to deflect sarcasm.

Oh, no. This was not going to happen, not after she had taken her oath of hatred. She _was_ going to hate him, if it killed them both.

She groaned, realizing the likelihood of that situation. She could only imagine both of them, dying together, yet alone and miserable. She could also imagine them tormenting each other in the afterlife. Goddess. This thought, more than anything, gave her the motivation to head outside to the gardens, a plan forming in her head.

--

Through some miracle, Kalasin managed to find her way to Kaddar's rose garden after only two wrong turns and being attacked by an irate canary once. She had been here once before, when they were engaged. Kaddar's great-aunt had been chaperoning them, and the old woman had watched them like a hawk. Not like there was anything to worry about. They had been very polite, very proper, and actually had a normal conversation. Needless to say, that was before the hatred came into play. She used her Gift to bend the wall of vines apart, and they formed a perfect doorway for her to walk through.

When she entered the garden, she had just stopped and gaped. It was _beautiful. _Roses dominated the entire landscape, their colors ranging from the creamy shades of white, to bright yellows, mixed with the pale purples of the north. Vibrant pinks, carmines, and crimsons mixed with the mellower shades, including the unique dark violets that Kaddar treasured. The thick, sweet scent of the roses infused the air, along with the fragrant perfumes of orange blossoms.

Orange trees lined the circular courtyard, and one had a swing attached to a lower bough. Kalasin perched on the swing, listening to the fountain bubble. She inhaled and exhaled again, a smile spreading over her face. It was so peaceful.

"What are you doing here?" The whisper came from very close, and Kalasin yelped and fell off the swing.

Kaddar couldn't help but laugh as he hopped down from the tree. "That was hilarious. And I thought that you would be too brilliant to fall for that one." He eyed her, sprawled on the grass. "But I hadn't intended for it to be literal. Ah well." He helped her up, and she dusted her gown off and sniffed at him.

"Are you going to listen to what I came here to say, or not?"

Kaddar smirked at her. "A pleasant request from my beloved Kalasin. Of course I will listen. Come here."

Kalasin brushed off the sarcasm, and sat next to him on the cold stone bench near the fountain. That more than anything made him take her more seriously, and he tilted his head curiously. "Go on."

"Do you like things the way they are?" she asked abruptly? "I mean, do you like this? Us?"

Kaddar frowned. She had a habit of saying things he didn't expect. "Explain."

The empress launched into an explanation of the conclusions she had come to in the study, leaving out the parts about her dream, and blushing when she came to the point about heirs. "…It would be best for us to," she hesitated, "to get on better. If we can agree on issues of state, we can do a better job ruling Carthak. I don't want us to spend the rest of our lives tormenting each other. Maybe it'll be easier if we could get along. I don't mean, um, kissing or being affectionate like that, but…"

"…You want us to be friends," Kaddar completed. She nodded sheepishly. "A truce, of sorts."

He leaned back against the fountain. "This is unexpected," he mumbled. "Kalasin, I…I think I agree. With you."

She looked astonished.

Kaddar nudged her gently. "Don't get used to it," he teased.

Kalasin looked like she didn't know what to do for a moment, and then smiled a little shyly. "Don't even think about sealing this with a kiss," she warned. "I'll hit you if you do."

"I would never," protested Kaddar, sounding hurt. "I'll seal this by deciding to share the blankets tonight—and I'm even going to ask your opinion on a scroll rewrite for Siraj. Aren't I kind?"

"You are," she assured him, as they set out for the palace again. "Oh, and Kaddar?"

"Mmm?"

"You still aren't allowed to hold my hand. Or ravish me."

Kaddar sighed almost inaudibly. Some things never changed.

---

--

-


	5. A Little Progress

**Chapter Four**

**--**

Three days, and Kaddar could almost feel the strain taking its toll on him. He was fairly sure that it wasn't supposed to work this way. Being nice to Kalasin, and her being nice in return, was supposed to _relax_ him. All it had done so far was create awkward moments between them. The space that had once been filled with all types of sarcastic comments, witty one-liners, and cheap shots, was now just an empty pause, before reverting to business as usual.

Maybe it wasn't meant to be. Maybe he and Kalasin were destined to live life snapping at each other. Part of him just wanted to tell her so, but the other part feared for his own life if he did something like that.

Kaddar turned on his side and looked at her. The curtain had fallen open a bit, and a sliver of moonlight illuminated her face. She looked so _innocent,_ with her long eyelashes sweeping her tanned and lightly freckled skin. Her brow was smooth and free of worry, and one stray lock of hair rested on her slightly parted lips, fluttering up and down with her breath.

Her eyes opened suddenly. "Hello."

Kaddar yelped and fell back. "Ah! Goddess, woman, must you do such strange things?"

Kalasin grinned mischievously and sat up. "Was that a yelp I heard, Imperial Majesty? And I have a name, and it's not _woman._ It's Kalasin. Kally, optional."

"Feh."

"Hmph."

Kaddar snorted. "Are you trying to challenge me on monosyllables? Don't even bother. Besides, why are you awake?"

Kalasin sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees. He was quickly recognizing it as her favorite pose. "I was cold. You had the blankets to your side again."

"I did not! You had an adequate amount of blanketry. And you did _not_ feel a draft on your side," he said quickly, anticipating her next argument. She sulked at him, and he fell back on the pillows. "You would be warmer if you wore something with sleeves," he smirked. "You're the only one insane enough to wear a sleeveless nightgown in November, after all."

"It's not _insanity,_" she protested indignantly, and actually pressed her bare upper arm to his cheek. "See, I'm warm as long as I have enough blankets. So I think you should share."

"If I do, will you go back to sleep?"

"Yes," she said with a flutter of her eyelashes.

Kaddar gave her his most world-weary sigh, making a space in the comfortable next of blankets. She collapsed right next to him, almost knocking against his head. He felt her warmth beside him as he pulled the covers tight around both of them. Kalasin rested against his shoulder for a moment—a definite first—and he felt the soft, light weight of her hair against his chest.

She was asleep within moments, leaving Kaddar awake, twirling a strand of her hair through his fingers. Half-asleep, he realized that they had not only had a conversation without insults, there had actually been a little physical contact as well. Maybe he had actually done something right for a change. Or maybe she had just drunk too much wine at dinner.

Kaddar favored the first possibility. It did wonders for his self-esteem. It was a little progress, after all.


	6. Colorful Fade To Black

**Chapter Five**

Kaddar hated balls. He hated parties. He hated large social events in general. It seemed as if being Emperor was divided into two categories: work, and social events. Bad luck for him, as Kalasin liked to point out with a smirk. It wasn't any big problem for _her_, though. All she had to do was put on a nice dress, comb her hair and stick some pins into it, adorn herself with a few jewels, and she was ready to go.

She didn't seem to be uncomfortable around large groups of people. She could fraternize with any group in the Imperial Court perfectly, and leave them panting for more of her company. Especially the young men of the University. _They_ did more than their fair share of panting after her. It was almost irritating.

After putting on his standard gear for such occasions, Kaddar waited patiently for Kalasin near the door of her dressing room, trying not to look as if he was going on a burial march instead of welcoming Gallan ambassadors.

"You're not succeeding," a dry voice remarked from behind him. "Still looking very much like a participant of a burial march." Kalasin stood a few feet away. Even in full ball regalia, complete with impossibly high-heeled sandals, she was almost half a head shorter. Yet as always, she managed to convey that she was looking down her nose at him.

The empress twirled around and struck a pose, hands on hips. "What do you think?" she asked dramatically, tilting her head back. Her hair had been styled differently—twisted into an elaborate knot, with two or three curly tendrils drifting loose. The ruby chain securing her hair glittered and twinkled in the candlelight, matching her red silk dress perfectly. He found his eyes drawn to her sleeves, made of a flowing white material reminiscent of Siraji style gowns that his mother used to wear. The black insignia of Iliniat House twisted up her skirt.

Kaddar couldn't help but be impressed. "You look very nice," he managed. "The kohl is a nice touch." It was the first time he had complimented her on something as trivial as dress. Normally it had been insults all around, but he was just beginning to get used to the new routine. It was pleasant to go through the preparation ritual without being told he looked like a dead duck or a melancholy elephant.

Kalasin walked up to him, inspecting him closely. Judging from the lack of comments, he didn't look too horrible. "Just try and look happy," she finished. "You look like a dead duck. Now come on. I promised the University group a debate before dinner."

Dead duck. Again. Why did that always come up? Kaddar stuck his nose an inch from hers. "Be polite, and I might consider it."

Kalasin glared. "I don't like being ordered around."

"Well, _somebody_ has to take care of you. Obviously, you're too hot-headed to do so yourself."

She drew herself up to her full height. "Fine, then, _my lord,_" she said coldly. "Lead the way."

Kaddar did so, feeling at once victorious and apprehensive. Kalasin had been put into place…but something told him it was going to be a very long night.

--

As always, his prediction had been right. The celebration had lasted four and a half hours. Dancing. Festivities. Celebrations. Midwinter. Unity between two countries.

Superficiality. Misery. Stress. Exhaustion. Then there was Kalasin. She had been perfectly cordial, and perfectly cool. When they had danced, they had just gone through the movements. There had been no pinching, poking, elbowing, or harassing. It felt as if something was missing. And then, while he had been talking to one of the Gallan ambassadors, he had seen her dancing with no less than two of the male students who loved to pant over her. She had been _perfectly_ happy and animated with _them._ Just for that, he had employed his happy, enthusiastic, thoughtful, and raptly listening faces. That dead duck comment had hurt more than he would admit.

Kaddar was just glad the night was over. He gave her a sidelong glance, and saw she was walking slower than usual, limping slightly. He couldn't help but feel that she deserved whatever pain her sandals were giving her, horrible as it may sound. And he was just a little thankful that their rooms were on the other side of the Imperial Palace.

At that moment, Kalasin was having a very hard time, and that was _before_ she remembered that their rooms were on the other side of the palace. At that, she almost groaned aloud, but something resembling an exhausted whimper came out instead. Kaddar looked at her, raised an eyebrow slightly, and kept walking.

Oh, Goddess. Part of her wished that she could swallow her pride and lean on Kaddar. Or, better yet, beg him to carry her. But then she remembered his comment about having to be _taken care of_, and being _hotheaded._ Implying that she was immature. Just because she was eighteen didn't mean he was _that_ much older and more mature than her. Kalasin took a deep breath, and walked on, doggedly.

Silence stretched between them for a few minutes. At last, Kaddar made a noise somewhere between a growl and a frustrated mumble in his throat, and swept her off her feet. Literally.

Kalasin kicked his knee. "Put me down! I don't want to be carried!"

He looked down at her. "I would dearly love to drop you right here, _my lady,_ but I can't let you kill yourself by walking in those infernal sandals. There's still the succession to worry about, after all."

Kalasin wriggled in his grasp, outraged. "Don't you dare say that's all I mean to you! I—"

"—wouldn't have anybody to argue with if you die, you know. And do you really want 'killed because of her own insistence to walk in her ridiculous sandals' on your gravestone?"

Kalasin stopped her struggles with a defeated sigh. "You're so morbid. But now that you're carrying me anyway, take me back to our rooms."

"Oh, of course not. I'd rather take you three wings out of our way to the Hall of Mirrors, after feeding you drugged oranges, so I can take advantage of your innocence. Brutally," he added, as an afterthought. "With chains."

"You've threatened to do that already," she said, nonplussed. "except last time, you were going to use rope. Take me home."

"We are home," he retorted, shutting the door behind them. "If you hadn't been so busy nitpicking over the ways I was going to brutalize you, you would have noticed sooner. Now, go and get ready for bed."

"Can't I have some help undressing?" she asked, swaying slightly.

Kaddar snorted. "Don't even try that one again. Last time I fell for the I'm-drunk-and-can't-unlace-my-corset-properly routine, you slapped my arm and called me a pervert. Loudly. I'm above that." He left her alone in the dressing room, standing in front of the mirror. She reached around to unlace herself, and suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of dizziness.

She grabbed the edge of the sofa to steady herself, but that only made it worse. The world lurched madly, and Kalasin fell back.

In the next instant, the world went black and she knew no more.

---

--

-


	7. Delirium Is Always Fun

**Chapter Six**

In his dream, Kalasin was in a cage. It wasn't one of his _unconscious sexual fantasies, _as Zaimid so cleverly put it, because this time she wasn't raging to get out and she wasn't wearing a red silk nightgown. The cage was suspended in midair, in a sky of gray. She was sitting on the floor of the cage, resting her forehead against the bars wearily. He had the vague feeling that she was in distress, although he couldn't really _see_ her through the mist. That she was calling for help was evident.

His eyes snapped open suddenly, and he realized that he was cold and clammy. Kalasin had probably taken all the blankets for herself while he had been _worrying _about her in his dream. He reached out for her shoulder and felt nothing. Rubbing the last vestiges of sleep from his eyes, he looked around their room blearily. Had she even come to bed? Kaddar threw the covers off and summoned a ball of orange fire for light, remembering the way she had swayed when he had put her down.

_Mithros._ What if she _had_ been drunk, and fainted? It would have been his entire fault…

When he threw open the door to her dressing room and found her lying prone on the sofa, he sighed in relief. She had just fallen asleep. Crossing the room quickly, he gathered her up in his arms, and her head lolled against his shoulder. She was pale, and—impulsively, he put a hand to her chest, and then to her throat and wrists.

Kaddar almost dropped her when he realized that she wasn't breathing.

--

"Well? What's wrong?" Kaddar could barely contain his impatience, and Zaimid winced as he probed the empress's body with his light green Gift. There was a tense silence for a few minutes, before Zaimid pulled his hand back, frowning at Kalasin worriedly.

"I can't sense anything. She's cold and clammy, and at least now she's breathing lightly. I can't think of anything that just made her faint like that. Kalasin wasn't drunk; I know that. Have you two…"

"No," Kaddar said with such finality that even Zaimid nodded.

"Well, then," he said, still frowning. "She's running an external fever, with a touch of something that might be the stomach flu as well. It would take too much energy out of her if I healed her magically, so I think it would be best for her body to heal by itself. Kalasin needs _rest,_" he emphasized, giving Kaddar the evil eye. "You work her like a slave, so it's no wonder that stress weakened her immune system."

"She will be all right?" asked a chastened Kaddar, touching her limp hand.

Zaimid nodded. "Kalasin's a strong girl. She'll recover quickly, if you let her. She'll sleep for about half a day, at the least. Call me when she awakens."

--

In her dream, Kaddar was dancing. In a field of flowers, swaying back and forth and skipping and prancing. There was a lily tucked behind his ear, and Kalasin realized that he looked perfectly relaxed. For some reason, she reached out to touch his cheek and ask if she could dance with him. He nodded yes, and they started to waltz among the daffodils. In the bright green sky, a row of sugar plum fairies frolicked among blue clouds shaped like toy nutcracker dolls.

One of the sugar plum fairies fluttered down to where she and Kaddar stood, and smiled down at them, baring little orange teeth. The fairy touched Kalasin's forehead, and all of a sudden, she felt dizzy. The next thing she knew, Kaddar was cradling her in his arms, looking at her. He tweaked one of her whiskers, and she rubbed her small, dry, pink nose against his nose, meowing happily. "Good kitty," he crooned gently. He stroked her black-furred body, and she purred. One cool finger rested against her forehead for a moment, followed by a kiss right above her amber eyes…

Her eyes opened slowly, and it took her a few moments to realize that she wasn't a coddled black cat who rubbed her nose against Kaddar's. She had tanned human skin, there were no daffodils in sight, and all the sugar plum fairies and nutcracker dolls were gone…

The only thing that remained the same was the cool touch on her forehead, and the feeling of being held by something warm. "…Kaddar?" No, the cool thing on her forehead was something that soothed the throbbing pain in her head. Kaddar was the one who was still cuddling her.

She was freezing and burning at the same time, and she wondered if he could help her. Getting to her knees a little woozily, she patted his cheek over and over until his eyes opened. They were big and brown and startled, and had little flecks of green in them. Kalasin pressed her nose against his, and those lovely eyes grew even larger. "I'd feel better if you petted me," she whispered hoarsely.

He was staring at her as if she was doing something shocking or wrong. She didn't want to be wrong. But before she could apologize, he hugged her close, depositing her against the pillows near the headboard. "Kalasin? Are you all right?"

Wide-eyed, she nodded at him. "Yes. I think."

Kaddar shook his head, unconvinced. "You haven't yelled or asked strange questions. And you pressed up against me _willingly_ and asked to be petted. Somehow, I don't think so. But I'm going to enjoy you while you last. Er, not like that," he added as an afterthought.

_Nod like you understand. _Kalasin nodded, hoping she looked like she understood. Not like what?

"Never mind," he muttered to himself, mussing his long hair. "It's nice not having to watch my language for unintentional innuendo, though."

"In any case, I'm going to tell you what Zaimid recommends," Kaddar continued. "After your buildup of stress, he suggested that both of us take a vacation. Away from here. _Far_ away," he added, with apparent relish. "That is, if you want to come with me to Radzyn, one of our coast holdings…?" He almost flinched, expecting the old Kalasin to return and give him a vehement rebuttal. "I mean, it'll be us. Alone. Together."

"That doesn't sound too bad," yawned Kalasin. Her limbs felt heavy and her eyelids began to droop. The bright green sky and sugar plum fairies danced back into view slowly. One of her hands found his, and she entwined their fingers together. "Stay with me."

She was asleep within moments, leaving an amazed Kaddar awake, staring at her. If that was the way Kalasin was whenever delirious, he really should try and get her into that state more often.

Or maybe the gentle young woman he had just talked—_actually talked_—to was the _real_ Kalasin. The one that didn't put up a hard, rocky exterior for the rest of the world, just to prove what an innocent, vulnerable girl she was on the inside.

Kaddar couldn't help but snort. Maybe what Kalasin had was catching. _That_ theory was far-fetched, even for him.

---

--

-


	8. Back To Beautiful Reality

**Chapter Seven**

When Kalasin woke up, she felt roughly as if somebody had hit her on the head. With a sledgehammer. Twenty times. Oh, Goddess. There was no justice in this world.

Her entire body rose and fell. Once, twice, again. It was almost relaxing; like resting on a boat on gentle waters. She could almost smell the salt water and see the clear turquoise of Carthaki seas. There was a light weight on her lower back, and a light, regular breeze on the side of her neck. Kalasin closed her eyes, and snuggled into whatever cushions were beneath her. Now, _this_ was a pleasant situation, especially after that disturbing dream she was having earlier. Sugar plum fairies? Nutcrackers? Kaddar _cuddling_ a cat version of her?

She inhaled deeply. The faint scent of Kaddar's mild cologne lingered on the cushions. It was pretty…_nice…_of him to lend her whatever she was sleeping on. Funny, though…she didn't recall him having any moving cushions. When the realization hit her, she just sighed in despair. Just her luck.

Turns out that she wasn't sleeping on moving cushions. She was actually sprawled out over Kaddar's chest, explaining the ocean sensation. And the light breeze on her neck was his breath. Oh. It suddenly all made sense now, except for one thing.

Kalasin poked Kaddar repeatedly, until he woke up with a groan. "Mmmgh. What's your issue?" he asked her groggily. "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping off your delirium? I'm not going to pet you right now, even if you _do_ purr for me."

Kalasin stared, feeling nothing less than horrified. Kaddar had _petted_ her? And she had _purred_ for him? _Mithros._ She examined her dress, noting the wrinkles and her half-unlaced bodice with a sense of dread. She fought the urge to crawl under the covers and cry, instead getting up on her knees, glowering at her still-asleep husband.

And then she slapped him.

Kaddar woke up with a yowl. "That was for taking advantage of me!" she yelled, pulling her hand back for another slap. The emperor used reflexes he didn't even know he still had, and threw the covers aside. In one movement, he grabbed both of her wrists and pushed her back down onto the bed, pinning her down with his greater weight. She struggled against him so hard that he half feared she would pull a muscle in her neck.

Kaddar squished her wrists with his elbows, ignoring her yelp of protest. Wriggling his hands free, he held her face still. She bit the sleeve of his robe instinctively, and then spat it out with a splutter. "Let me go!"

"No! You're unstable!"

"Unstable? _I'm_ unstable? You're the one who took advantage of my unconscious state and robbed me of my innocence!"

That sentence rendered Kaddar speechless for a moment, before he shook it off quickly. "You _dense_ little girl," he hissed. "I didn't have my wicked way with you while you were asleep! You're the one who woke up shivering and begging for comfort. I'm the one who helped you fall asleep again, let you hold my hand, and I didn't even protest when you decided to use me as a kitty cushion!"

Kaddar had the satisfaction of watching Kalasin's jaw drop. And he had the immense satisfaction of watching her pale, undoubtedly having an internal breakdown over how she had allowed herself to _beg_ him for comfort. All right; maybe she hadn't really begged. But since his cheek was still smarting, he decided that she deserved to be guilty about things.

A few minutes passed, and Kalasin's head was now buried in her arms. Kaddar waited. _One, two, three…_

"…Sorry," she mumbled quietly. "I overreacted."

He waited for the part where she said, 'I'm sorry I suspected you of something so dishonorable. I know you would never hurt me like that,' or something along those lines.

"I understand now that you wouldn't hurt me like that," she said, looking up into his eyes, and gave him a small smile. "After all, you don't exactly have a death wish."

_Close enough._ Kaddar sighed. "That's right."

"We still have a few issues, don't we?" Kalasin asked timidly.

"Oh, you have _no_ idea," was the grim reply. He brightened a little bit. "At least we can work out our issues while on vacation."

Kalasin froze mid-yawn, her jaw snapping shut. "…Vacation?"

"Oh, yes," Kaddar grinned. "Radzyn. You. Me. Together. Alone. No witnesses."

"To the atrocities that you'll commit," groaned Kalasin. "How did I agree to this?"

"If I recall correctly, you thought it would be pleasant," he replied. "And then I think you meowed."

Kalasin wanted to bang her head against the headboard. Repeatedly. _How_ did she get herself into these situations?

As for Kaddar, he leaned back against the pillows contentedly. The upcoming weeks looked to be very pleasant, indeed.


	9. Holding Out For A Hero

**Chapter Nine**

Kalasin sighed delicately, leaning against the railing of the ship. A few strands of her long black hair fluttered out of her chignon, blown about in the light sea breeze.

Zaimid gave her a distinctly lovesick look, followed by a gusty sigh. "You don't know _how_ lucky you are," he told Kaddar mournfully. "It's not fair. Royalty always gets the best of the best. And you don't even appreciate her."

Kaddar scowled. "You're horribly nauseating, you know that?"

"Harsh," winced Zaimid. He gazed at his empress for another few moments. "Ah, Kaddar, don't take this the wrong way…"

"Take what the wrong way?"

"…You wouldn't consider, er, sharing her, would you?"

Kaddar's jaw dropped. "You did not just say what I think you said."

Zaimid edged away. "Have pity on a lonely man, cruelly stricken by love?"

"I am _so_ glad that I will be spending time away from you," muttered Kaddar. He was silent for a moment. "I don't like Kalasin, but she's _mine._"

Zaimid raised an eyebrow. "I'm glad that she didn't hear you say that. Really. In any case, I hope you and the lovely Kalasin enjoy your vacation together. Give her a kiss from me!" With that, he hopped off the rising plank and waved merrily. Kaddar pulled a face at him, and felt a hand descend on his shoulder. Kalasin leaned against him slightly and waved at Zaimid flirtatiously. To which the chief healer grinned hugely and swept a low bow.

Kaddar left the deck promptly. Next thing he knew, Kalasin and Zaimid would be throwing handkerchiefs or silk scarves at one another with avowals of undying love. And it wasn't becoming for an emperor to retch over the rails, no matter how disgusting the sight happened to be.

"Where are _you_ going?" Kalasin called, skipping after him. Her cheeks looked less pale, and she seemed to be getting better at the mere prospect of a vacation. Even if it was with him. The wind whipped her short-sleeved dark blue dress and veil around, and she stared up at him. "Well?"

Kaddar sighed. "If you must know, I was going to go up to the prow. There's a better view there, and we'll be able to see Radzyn as it approaches…do you want to come?"

She tilted her head to the side. "Sounds good to me. Let's go." Unceremoniously ripping off the veil that covered her hair and lower half of her face, she trotted along with him, admiring the deep teal of the ocean water as it rippled along the side of the boat. "It's gorgeous, isn't it? Almost makes me want to dive off the side and go swimming."

Kaddar found it easier than usual to bite back a sarcastic comment, and instead gave her a small smile. "We'll be at Radzyn soon, anyway. You can go swimming there if you want."

They talked for the rest of the boat ride; more accurately, Kalasin chattered and Kaddar listened. She was certainly very happy, he noted. Maybe a vacation was a good idea, after all.

The towering white spires of Radzyn Keep soared into view after a while, and Kalasin gasped in amazement. He understood; it had been the summer home of his family when he was young, and Radzyn was certainly awe-inspiring. It was a huge castle, one of Iliniat House's oldest holdings. Most of Kaddar's fondest memories of his childhood were here in the airy, colorful rooms of the castle or on the vast expanses of white sand beaches, with Zaimid and his sisters. And now, he was going to share it with Kalasin. He had to admit that it was a nice feeling to be back here after so long.

Kalasin could barely contain her impatience as the ship unloaded and they were allowed to disembark. She had seen very little of Carthak, aside from the capital, Thak's Gate, Carthak City, and the coast of the Inland Sea. She had heard of the ancestral home of Kaddar's family, but she had never _been_ here before. It was beautiful. Remembering the coast of Pirate's Swoop, where she and her brothers and sisters often spent the summer, she smiled a little sadly. It had been almost three years since she had gone to a beach with _anyone. _

The gentle turquoise waters lapped at the smooth white sand, the sun glinting daggers of silver off of the water. Further out, she could see the bright colors of a huge coral reef. The sand sunk under her sandals, and it just became too much for her. She kicked off the high-heeled footwear and took off running down the beach, much to Kaddar's alarm.

"Kalasin! Wait!" She was out of sight now, and Kaddar heaved a dramatic sigh. He was _doomed _to spend the rest of his life running after a woman who had no concern for his old, creaky bones and stressed heart. The emperor considered sitting down and relaxing until she came back, hopefully soaked in icy salt water, covered in sand, and had a number of crab wounds.

He toyed with the possibility for a few moments. It was tempting. Perhaps she would get delirious again, from the number of crab wounds. Or maybe she'd fall off a cliff or swim out too far…argh. There went his only chance at a peaceful afternoon. Kaddar took off after her, the sand sinking under his boots, rendering fast movement nearly impossible.

By the time she even came back into sight, he was panting and thoroughly winded. There was sand in his boots, eyes, and he had narrowly avoided stepping on an irate crab. And there was Kalasin, standing in the surf and laughing, her dress soaked to her knees and her surcoat nowhere to be found. He found he was beginning to sympathize with the fathers of teenage daughters, which was truly chilling. "Kalasin!" She didn't seem to hear him, and kept walking down the beach.

Sighing in defeat, he looked down at the ocean. Strangely enough, it was getting a little more turbulent now, as the wind increased. He could see waves and undercurrents roiling through the previously calm seas. Wait. Waves. Strong ones. Maybe they would wash some of the stranded crabs and mussels away from the beach.

Something in his mind clicked. Strong waves. Beach. Kalasin.

_Oh, Mithros, why me? _

Kalasin had approximately no clue about the ocean's growing hostility, not being able to see from her lack of a vantage point. She could _feel_ something different, though…as if there was something pulling at her ankles and lower legs. Instinctively, she looked back toward the shoreline. The water level had receded, and her eyes widened as she realized what that meant. _Oh, Goddess, why me? _She almost didn't have to turn back toward the ocean as she saw the huge wave head toward her, and she knew, with a sense of detached calm, that it would knock her off her feet and pull her out. Realizing that there was no way to run from the combination of waves and undercurrents, she braced herself, preparing to be slammed by the wall of water.

She had not prepared to be slammed into by the side, by something heavy that sent her flying into the damp sand. Kaddar _flew_. Into her. Would miracles never cease?

The wave hit next, immersing them both in the warm salt water. As suddenly as it had come, it was gone, leaving the couple gasping and hacking up salt water, Kalasin still clinging to Kaddar. She realized that she was shivering with relief, and tears were coursing from her eyes, thanks to the burn of the water.

Their gasps mingled in the afternoon air, until they could finally breathe again. "Thank you," was the first thing Kalasin whispered, her throat sore.

Kaddar nodded groggily. "I'll save you, anytime." His entire body smarted with the impact of hitting the sand so hard, and he climbed off of Kalasin, collapsing on the ground next to her. The once-again tranquil waters lapped at their bodies as they lay there, completely exhausted.

Wet sand had gotten all over Kalasin's back and on her hair, and she turned to Kaddar. "You can help me wash the salt and sand off," she teased gently. "I'll need all the help I can get. The bathtub _does_ fit three, after all."

Kaddar raised an eyebrow. "Fits three? You, your ego, and your questionable judgment. I don't know if I would fit."

Kalasin winced, pulling herself up from the sand. She reached out a hand and helped Kaddar up. "I _itch._ All over. And there's sand in my hair, and the salt will bleach it and make it dry and horrible. Do you _want_ to be responsible for that?"

He looked at her and sighed. "There are fountains in the courtyard. Follow me."

--

Kalasin sat on the edge of the elaborate fountain, listening to the crystal clear water gush behind her. She couldn't help but feel a little nervous. She was entrusting her pride and joy, her beloved mane…to Kaddar. Who pulled faces at running a brush through his hair every morning.

Then again, he had very recently saved her from being washed away. Kalasin weighed the possibilities, and decided that he deserved the honor and responsibility. "I'm ready."

With that, her head was gently tilted into the cold water, and she started at the strange feeling. It was nice. In a strange way. She closed her eyes and lost herself to the feeling of his fingers running through the length of her hair and caressing her scalp. "Tilt your head back, and keep your mouth closed," he instructed, and she obeyed blindly, to his surprise. Then she felt the pad of his thumb brush her cheeks, eyes, lips, and forehead. _Oh. _

When the water finally stopped, she couldn't help but feel regretful as he left her hair alone, after one last comb-through. She made a little mumble of pleasure in her throat, and Kaddar chuckled. "You really liked that, didn't you?"

She cracked an eye open. "…Maybe."

He helped her up, and they made their way back to the castle to dry off. "Oh, and Kalasin?"

"Hmm?"

"You owe me."

"You'll let me comb your hair?" she asked, sounding inappropriately excited.

"No."

"It's not anything perverted, is it?"

"I'm going to say yes, and see how you react."

"You're irritating, you know that?"

"I try, dearest. I try."

---

--

-


	10. Family Is Painful

**Chapter Ten**

Kalasin didn't want to admit it, but she was _enjoying _this vacation. Every day of it. It was such a relief not having to deal with politics and money all the time, and having actual free time was definitely a good thing.

Even Kaddar was being less obnoxious, after being away from the capital for about a week. Less arrogant and generally vexing. He was almost normal now, except for his frustrating tendency to plan more than five moves ahead in less than a minute, enabling him to successfully stonewall her, and then put her in checkmate in the next fifteen minutes. It was _abnormal._

Kalasin liked being lazy, most of all. She could stay in bed for as long as she wanted (which generally translated into as long as Kaddar could stifle his obsessive tendency to open the window as soon as the sun rose), lie around reading, sleep some more, play chess, have half-hearted mini-arguments with Kaddar—because the day wouldn't be complete without one—eat, read, play on the beach, watch birds, and then fall asleep again. There weren't any pressing duties, no threats from irritating councilors that the _fate of the country rested on this decision_, no ruthless hairstyles, no need to wear the perfect gown for this or that party, and above all, the food was wonderful here.

After a week of this blissful existence, Kalasin realized something startling. She didn't want to go back to the Imperial Palace. She wanted to stay here for the rest of her life. In a moment of either delirium or impulsiveness, she had told Kaddar just that.

He blinked. "It's lovely here, but do you _want_ the rival factions to take over the country?"

Kalasin tapped her finger on her chin. "It depends. Would rival factions show any interest in Radzyn? I thought they were only interested in Thak's Gate, after all."

Kaddar sighed. "They would conquer whatever lay in their path, including Radzyn. They would probably torch the entire place to the ground, and unless you want to live in the cellars, that would pretty much ruin your plan to stay here for the rest of your life. Of course, if the rebels found us, the rest of our lives wouldn't be much longer," he added as an afterthought. "And there are some strange things in the forest, so we couldn't live there, either."

"Pessimist," sulked Kalasin.

"Realist," he corrected, then got up and stretched. "We'll enjoy the time we have left. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have seaweed in my hair."

Kalasin watched him leave, and exhaled in defeat. She flopped down on the sofa, closed her eyes wearily, and went to sleep.

--

Upon waking up, the first thing she saw was Kaddar's face. Not an _extremely _horrible sight by any means, but it was just a little jarring to have it an inch from hers.

"Argh!" she yelled, grabbing the discarded blanket and disappearing under it in a flailing tangle of long, coltish limbs. "Were you trying to kiss me?" was the indignant demand, muffled by the heavy blanket's weave.

"Why do you _always_ assume that I'm either trying to kiss or do something perverted to you?" Kaddar grumbled. "My mind, unlike yours, has not taken up permanent residence in the gutter. My ego, unlike yours, has not grown to the size of Maren, and—"

"—You, unlike me, are an insufferable prick." He could almost _see_ her smirk through the blanket.

"Very funny," he replied, snatching it off her. "I'm doubled up in laughter. Now, be serious. I need to talk to you."

"Why do _I_ have to be serious?" she said dryly, getting up and sitting on the window seat. "I, unlike you, am not doubled up in laughter."

Kaddar considered pushing her out on the balcony to dangle for a while, but decided against it. That would definitely not improve foreign relations. "You," he began, sounding annoyed, and then ruffled his hair, looking rather defeated. "Are not going to like this."

"We're going back?"

"No."

"Rival factions?"

"No. Worse."

"The Copper Isles grew a backbone and a brain and decided to band together to attack our western coast?"

Kaddar thought about it for a moment. "That's worse enough. But this is cataclysmic."

"No genocide or foreign attacks?" Kalasin asked, wide-eyed.

"Great-aunt Parvati." He heard a muffled squeak, followed by a thump.

Kalasin now sat on the floor, staring up at him. "Why? Why _this_? I know you don't like me, but _this_ is a bit harsh!"

Kaddar yelped, "Why are you blaming this on _me_? I didn't invite her! She's just…coming!"

She stood in front of him, arms crossed. "This is your fault, because she's related to _you_ and not _me,_ and obviously, she found out that we were here because of _your_ carelessness, not mine."

"You are truly disgusting," muttered Kaddar. "It doesn't matter. We have to get ready. She'll be here by evening."

Kalasin stared for a moment. "At least I packed one ballgown. I'm going to bathe now. I smell like salt, and great-aunt Parvati wouldn't like that."

"Ah, Kalasin," he called. She turned to face him, and he winced, bracing himself for the incoming verbal impact. Fidgeting, he looked down at the floor. "Aunt Parvati thinks that you're quiet, shy, and reserved, with a fondness for watching sunsets and reading poetry. She also thinks that we're, er, very-much-in-love."

There was utter silence for a few moments, followed by a sound that might have been either a snarl or a growl. Then came the cushion, thrown right at his head. He staggered back and fell down on the window seat, bumping his head hard. "Ow!" Her raging voice only served to hurt his head further, and he sunk down with a groan of pain. "I don't deserve this," he muttered to himself.

"Oh, yes you do!" Kalasin yelled in his face. "_Quiet, shy, reserved? Poetry? In love with _you" Each word was punctuated by a sharp poke in the chest. "You _lied_ about me? Why would you even _do_ something so asinine? You know what?" she continued furiously, "don't even tell me. And I hope that bump on your head _plagues_ you for the rest of your miserable life!"

With that, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Kaddar groaned in pain. And yet again, he had managed to say exactly the wrong thing, and now had a very irate Kalasin to deal with.

It wasn't even noon yet, and he already knew the day was going to end badly.

--

Her corset was cinched far too tight, and Kalasin hoped that her expression wasn't that of a young woman having her ribs slowly crushed. _Shy, quiet, reserved,_ she chanted mentally. _Shy, quiet, reserved. _Poking at a side of chicken tandoori as shyly as possible, she put on her reserved face for the fifth time so far.

That obviously pleased Great-Aunt Parvati, for she gave Kalasin an appraising look through her wrinkled face. "Kalasin," she began slowly. "Kaddar tells me that you enjoy reading poetry. Have you read any of Aishwarya Revi's works?"

Kaddar's foot nudged hers under the table. "Er! Yes, yes I have," Kalasin said hurriedly. "I'm quite a fan of her poems."

Parvati grinned widely, displaying her lack of teeth. "Excellent! What do you think of her _Flight of the Autumn Butterfly?_"

Kalasin accidentally swallowed a bit too much wine, nudging a suddenly pale Kaddar with her foot. _What do I say, _she asked silently. He shrugged discreetly, and she glared at him, before remembering that shy and reserved young women didn't glare, instead schooling her face into a calm expression. And now she was going to make a fool of herself in front of Kaddar's aunt. Lovely.

"It was…very enlightening?" she offered. "I especially liked the part where the autumn butterfly's…mate died…during the migration…it had great emotional depth."

Parvati swallowed a surprisingly large mouthful of chicken fried rice, and then frowned slightly. "Interesting. I don't quite remember that part…"

Kalasin fidgeted, and expertly turned it into a shy glance at her napkin. "I might be mistaken."

"Oh, no, dear," Parvati reassured, giving Kalasin a gap-toothed smile. "I'm old, after all, and my memory isn't what it used to be." She leaned back, absentmindedly picking between her teeth with a fish bone, and smiled suddenly. "My, you two make such a gorgeous couple."

Kalasin and Kaddar both jumped in their chairs, startled, and then settled back down with a little bit of awkward laughter. They leaned toward each other simultaneously, trying to look like a gorgeous, harmonious couple. Kaddar actually leaned in a little too far, bumping Kalasin on the head. She almost yelped, but turned it into an almost-giggle. Or a half-hiccup.

Parvati looked at her curiously, and Kalasin leaned a little farther into Kaddar, fluttering her fan lightly. "He has, ah, very nice eyes," she explained, trying not to choke on her words.

The great-aunt beamed. "The eyes came from my side of the family," she explained proudly. She peered at Kalasin. "Ah, the famous Conté blue." She was silent for a moment, lapsing into thought, her gnarled hands twisting on the table. "I have no idea what color your children's eyes will be," she admitted. "Both colors are dominant in each side of the family, so only time will tell. I'm fairly certain the children will inherit Kalasin's nose, though."

Kalasin choked again, this time for real. Kaddar simply gaped. "Children. Oh, um, children. I…we…"

Parvati patted his hand. "I know it's hard to think about now, when all you have eyes for is one another. But the realm needs heirs, and the sooner the better."

Kaddar risked a look at Kalasin's side of the table. She had paled, and then blushed, and now she was intently studying the work on her wineglass, still an unhealthy shade of red.

Unaware of the consternation she had caused, Parvati yawned blithely. "My old bones are getting tired. One dance, and I think that we should all head up to bed. No," she told Kaddar, declining his offer. "Dance with Kalasin. I'm sure she's getting lonely."

Kalasin tried not to burst out laughing at the phrase and the expression on Kaddar's face as he looked at her. "I'm pining," she said softly, with a flutter of her eyelashes.

When they were both out on the dance floor, and the violins had struck up their plaintive, enchanting melody, Kalasin couldn't help but remember what Parvati had said about _children._ Heirs. The sooner the better. She flushed again, looking at the floor, and Kaddar nudged the top of her head with his chin. She looked up at him, and he gave her an encouraging smile as he spun her around.

The song changed, this time to a faster tempo and a traditional Carthaki tune. It was certainly dizzying, Kalasin thought as she executed a complicated step and avoided stepping on Kaddar's foot. This one was certainly more enjoyable, but it made her feel so much more out of her depth.

The music sped up, and they spun again, Kaddar keeping a close grip on her, carefully preventing her from falling. She was definitely a little now, and she felt as if she was teetering on the edge of something very deep. _Too much wine, _the empress thought giddily. It was a good thing Kaddar was keeping her straight.

The music came to a crescendo and then a dramatic finish, leaving the couple holding each other on the dance floor again. The falling sensation was there again, even though Kaddar's arms were secure around her. He leaned down, and she tilted her head up. Their lips met for one dizzy second, and then they parted. He tasted like wine, she noted.

A strange emotion welled up inside her as they released each other, and she couldn't put a name to it until an hour later, until both of them were curled up in bed.

For the first time in her life, she hadn't wanted to let go.

---

--

-


	11. Hangovers Are Far From Romantic

**Chapter Eleven**

Kalasin woke up hung over. Her head was pounding; her muscles and eyelids felt heavy and leaden, and her eyes kept losing focus. She saw a shadowy blur that might be Kaddar, and tried to say his name. What came out was an incomprehensible mumbling sound.

"It's horribly unromantic, isn't it?" he asked sympathetically, coming to sit down next to her. She winced at the sound of his voice, and to her surprise, he put her head on his lap, cradling it gently. "First hangovers are the _worst_ kind." His fingers kneaded her temples. "You did drink _far_ too much, though."

"Spare me the lecture," she croaked. "Fix it. Please."

He had the temerity to chuckle. "It's not as easy as it sounds, you know."

Kalasin fought to keep her eyes open. "You're making the remedy sound terrible. What do I have to do, let you poke my bare ribs and forehead with a quill for two hours straight?"

"No, just your ribs."

She gave him a baleful glare. "You're enjoying this, aren't you? Watching me suffer?"

Kaddar sighed. "No, you bratty little girl. If I intended to watch you suffer, I wouldn't have brought a bottle of anti-hangover potion with me."

"…Oh." She accepted the goblet a little shakily, and downed the potion in a moment. It burned its way down, making her choke and sputter. It did calm her stomach, though, and the pounding in her head ceased slowly. Cracking her eyes open, she found Kaddar giving her a smug look, practically screaming _What did I tell you? _

"Feh," was her eloquent response as she settled back against the cushions. "And I am _not_ a bratty little girl," she added sulkily. "It makes me sound like some irritating young cousin."

He grinned at her. "You're back to normal. I worried for nothing."

"You didn't have to worry," Kalasin informed him, nose in the air. "I had the situation well under control."

"Ah. So, when you practically fell on top of me last night—which was a very unpleasant experience, I assure you—and almost passed out, that was having the situation under control? _And,_" he continued, "and your distressed mumblings reached the point when you were almost in tears about something, was _that_ having the situation under control?"

Kalasin gaped. "You're angry," she observed, leaning a little further back into the pillows.

He glared at her. "Why _wouldn't _I be angry? You were shaky all through the dances last night—I could _feel_ that. After we got back, you kept tossing and turning and then you almost _fainted._ This isn't the first time you've gotten _mildly tipsy, _either. I know that you're only eighteen, but you should know your limits on wine by now!"

Kalasin's jaw dropped. "All right, yesterday I drank a little bit more than I should have. Can you blame me? I was upset and stressed. And this is, what, the _second_ time I've not been completely sober? Last time I was only wobbling a bit! What does my _age_ have to do with this, anyway! You throw it in my face whenever we argue. Just because I'm younger doesn't mean that I can't take care of myself!"

She threw the covers off and stalked away, and Kaddar growled in frustration. He caught up to her in a moment, and, locking her wrists in a tight grip, pulled her an inch away from him. "For _once, _I want you to _listen._" The shocked Kalasin nodded slowly, and he pulled her a little closer. "First, I do not _throw it _in your face every time we argue. Has it ever occurred to you that I yell at you and worry about you for a _reason_? You're younger than me and there are things that I know that you don't, and that's a statement of fact.

"I have to look out for you, don't you understand that! I don't want you getting hurt or sick or _dead, _all right?"

She had stared at him wide-eyed for the entirety of his tirade, and he noticed with a sense of dread that her eyes were filling up with tears. "Wait, I…" he pulled her back to him, wrapping his arms around her awkwardly. "Don't cry."

Kalasin buried her head in his shoulder, and he could feel her entire body shaking. She gasped for breath, unable to keep her sobs silent, and he tried to stroke her hair and back soothingly. He felt like hitting himself over and over. He had made _Kalasin _cry. Strange as it may sound, he would rather have her yell and rage at him then have her crying all over his tunic.

He pulled her away from him with difficulty, and wiped the tears from her cheeks clumsily. "Kalasin…" The emperor pressed his fingers under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Her eyes, cheeks, and nose were red, and she was biting her lip hard.

"Don't do that," he murmured softly. "You'll make it bleed."

She released the soft skin immediately, and he pulled her back against him. This time, her arms wrapped around his neck as well, and her head rested against his chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered, sounding choked. "So sorry."

Kaddar just hugged her back tightly. "You have nothing to be sorry about," he said firmly.

There was a small sniffling sound as she pulled away from him and sat down on the window seat. He didn't know what to do as she hugged her knees close. "I hate crying," she muttered, before wiping her face hard and looking up at him directly. "Can we…forget this ever happened?"

He was silent for a moment, regarding her. She gave him a small smile. "Empresses don't cry. And I'll be nineteen in a month, and nineteen-year-olds don't cry, either."

Kaddar smiled back, tentatively. "So you wish it, so it shall be," he teased gently, helping her up. "You're going to go back to sleep now, all right?"

"Fine," Kalasin said as they walked back into their room. "But if you even _think_ about tucking me in, I'll scream."

"Hah. If you ever get so drunk as to _ask_ me to tuck you in, _I'll_ scream."

Kalasin gave his hand an impulsive squeeze. "I have standards, you know."

"That's news to me," he muttered.

Kalasin got back into bed; feeling the stress and exhaustion of the past hour catch up to her. The light fingers of sleep ran through her hair and caressed her back, brushing her face and kissing her troubles away…

---

--

-


	12. Reflections

**Chapter Twelve**

When it was finally time for them to leave Radzyn, Kalasin almost threw a temper tantrum. She _loved_ it here. She liked the castle and the beach and the freedom…

She sighed gloomily, looking over the rail at the fast-disappearing Radzyn Keep. Silvery shoals of fish danced a little below the surface, and she almost envied them. At least _they_ could stay here for as long as they wanted.

"Don't sulk," Kaddar told her, touching her shoulder. "We'll come back here, you know."

"When?" she asked, lifting her head to the wind. "Summer?"

"If we can. It'll be scorching hot, though."

"Which is why we have beaches."

He sighed. "Arguing with you is impossible, you know. Summer it is."

"Aren't you excited?" she asked, looking up at him. "I wish we could live here year-round. It's as this place was magic."

Kaddar snorted aloud. "Magic? Kalasin, I think you've been out in the sun for a bit too long. I love Radzyn, but I hardly think it has any magical properties. Why do _you_ think so?"

She tapped her finger against her chin. "You saved my life and washed my hair. In the same day. You actually _combed _your hair six times in three weeks. I managed to convince Great-Aunt Parvati that I was a shy, quiet, reserved fan of poetry, and that we were very much in love. And we hugged. If that's not magic, nothing is."

Kaddar rubbed her shoulder, and she leaned into him. "Shall we try the same trick on Zaimid?" she asked coyly.

He couldn't help but smile. "I'll leave you to figure out the mechanics of that one. I'm going below to rest."

She didn't follow; instead fluttering her fingertips in a wave.

Kaddar retreated into the welcome shade of their cabin. It was small but comfortable, even equipped with a window on the east wall. He could see the side of Kalasin, who was still leaning against the rail, now plucking the petals from a daisy and dropping them into the ocean, laughing to herself.

He shook his head in amazement. Propping his head up, he gazed at her. She was definitely the most odd person he'd _ever_ met, and that was saying something.

Kalasin was irritable, temperamental, defensive, argumentative, suspicious, stubborn, and bratty. She refused to listen to reason, and usually came up with her own twisted logic to fit a situation, regardless of anything or anybody else, and was the strangest mix of clever and absolutely dense.

Strangely enough, she could be compassionate, affectionate, understanding…and trusting. The last was absolutely baffling, at least to him. No matter how many times she yelled at him for being 'perverted' or how many times he had threatened to tie her up to things, lock her in a dungeon, or brutally take advantage of her, she would always bounce back, seeking company or letting him take care of her.

Maybe it wasn't trust. Maybe it was just stupidity.

It had surprised him, when she had forgiven him so easily for making her cry. A few months ago, she would have yelled back, thrown things, slapped him…a few months ago, she wouldn't even have cried. It was almost as if his words had actually had an effect on her.

He rolled over, moodily burying his head in a pillow. Maybe _he_ was the one who had been in the sun for too long.

Speaking of sun, the cabin door swung open, throwing a shaft of orange-purple sunset into the cabin. Kaddar groaned. "Ow."

Kalasin sighed, and the door closed again. "Better now?" She crossed over and sat down, leaning over him. "Are you all right?"

He sat up, cupping her face in both hands. She blinked at him, startled, and he kissed her on the forehead.

"Kyaa!" she yelped, pulling away and falling against the opposite wall with a thump. "What was that for?"

Kaddar smirked at her, and settled back sedately. "I just wanted you to know that you are the most annoying thing that has ever plagued my existence."

A pillow made contact with the side of his head. "I hate you, too! And don't kiss me again, either!" Kalasin stormed out of the cabin, slamming the door behind her.

Kaddar considered being amazed. Or exasperated. Or angry. He settled on resignation, and yawned.

One step forward, three steps back again.

Just the way it should be.

--


	13. Sweet Nineteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

Kaddar had expected Kalasin to go into a deep depression upon returning to the Imperial Palace. Instead, she was her usual contrary self, and approached the situation cheerfully. Or, as cheerful as Kalasin could be, anyway. She was hardly skipping around their rooms, singing about peace and harmony while talking to little birds.

That wouldn't have been a pretty sight. Rather, it would have been absolutely nauseating.

So Kaddar was glad that she was behaving normally, more or less.

Well, at least he _thought _she was behaving normally. That was, until he walked in on her, sitting on the couch in her dressing room, applying some sort of colored paint to her toenails, while humming.

_Humming. _Some off-key waltz. But humming nevertheless.

"What are you _doing?_"

Kalasin looked up from her contemplation of her foot. "Painting my toenails in dusky rose. Do you want some?"

Kaddar stared for a moment. "No. I think dusky roses belong in the garden, not on one's nails. And that's not what I wanted, in any case."

"Oh? You wanted some lip rouge? I have a shade of lilac that would be _very _becoming on you…"

"Argh, no! I _wanted _to know why you were humming!"

Kalasin tilted her head and resumed painting her toenails. "Are you feeling quite all right, Kaddar? First the inquiries about my cosmetics, and now you want to know why I'm humming?"

She received the full force of his glare. Unfazed, she capped her bottle and put it away. "I'm humming because I'm happy," she said, with the air of someone explaining that one plus one equaled two to an overemotional toddler. "Do you want to know why I am happy?"

"Birthday," grunted Kaddar.

"Oooh, very good!" Kalasin gave him an appraising look. "You remembered. I'm shocked. Could it be that you actually care?"

He snorted. "Let's not get away with ourselves, darling. I only remembered because you've given me a day-by-day countdown for the past month."

She pouted. "Small detail. In any case, I'm glad to know that you opened your horribly large ears and listened. At least I get a present. It isn't going to be a poisoned apple, is it?"

"I would never _dream _of giving you a poisoned apple!" he retorted indignantly. "They're, well, cliché. If I was going to give you something poisoned, I'd choose a sapphire necklace with the poison lightly dipped on the jewels, so that they could penetrate your skin slowly and painfully."

Kalasin looked at him for a few moments. And then, she started to snicker. The lone snicker became a full out giggle, and before long, she was fairly rolling around with glee.

Kaddar, for his part, watched her gales of merriment, feeling rather put out. After all, it had been one of his best death threats. Ever. And she was laughing her head off. It hurt his morale terribly.

At long last, she stopped giggling, and, wiping her eyes, slid up against him. Indicating her earrings and necklace and the jewels in her hair, she looked up. "Remember these? This set of jewelry was your wedding gift to me. Note that I never take them off. Not because of any personal affection—" the dratted laugh again—"but these detect poison, and nullify anything harmful. Which basically kills any death threats that you might have."

Kaddar put an arm around her shoulders, playfully crushing her back against his chest. "That's very convenient," he whispered into her ear. "I want to keep you alive, so that I can slowly torture you."

Kalasin pulled away and spun around to face him, and after seeing the way she was torn between anger and mirth, he burst into laughter. She sulked for a moment, and then fell against him, giggling. "You wouldn't _really_ want to get rid of me," she said flirtatiously, looking up at him. "Without me, you'd be miserable and alone. The sun wouldn't set and the moon wouldn't rise. The stars wouldn't shine. You would spend evenings—and afternoons, and mornings, and nights—weeping for me."

He blinked. "I don't know if I should play along with your little games, or simply dissuade you. _Not _with a passionate, bruising kiss," he said quickly.

She stepped away, giving him the _look. _"You know me too well. How am I supposed to find ways to torment you now?"

"Use your imagination," he said, giving her a little push in the direction of the bathroom. "The sooner you get ready for bed, the sooner we wake up tomorrow morning. For your birthday. And if you're even _thinking _about staying up until midnight, forget it."

Kalasin glared and closed the door behind her. "I'm not five!" she yelled. Kaddar let out a little sigh of relief. She hadn't noticed yet. Good. A few minutes passed.

"…Kaddar!" The bathroom door opened, and a robe-clad Kalasin emerged, whacking him with a fluffy towel. "You used my favorite bubble bath! Some birthday present _that_ was!"

"…Kalasin."

"What?"

"Your robe's coming off at both shoulders. Don't let that bother you, though. You have _very _nice shoulders. Slender. And creamy."

Kalasin squeaked in muted horror and slammed the door shut. There was a skidding sound from inside the bathroom, a screech, and then a huge splash. Kaddar smirked, and sauntered away.

He decided not to tell her that she had left her towel outside.

And the only "decent" robe she had, too.

Ah, well. Too bad for her.

--

The next morning, Kaddar woke up at about seven in the morning, feeling as if somebody had hit him on the head with something heavy and blunt. Numerous times. He almost reached over and yelled at Kalasin for it, before remembering that he woke up like this _every _morning. Oh.

He blinked for a few times, until his eyes adjusted to the dim light. Kalasin was curled up at his side, swathed in something far too big and dark green. His robe. _His _robe that was not hers. Kaddar almost snatched it off her, before realizing, with a blush, that she probably wasn't wearing anything underneath.

That thought alone made him inch a little toward the other side of the bed. And put both his hands safely under the pillow. He could only imagine Kalasin's first act of her nineteenth year—murdering him. He eyed her for a little while. It really _was _too big for her. She smelled of warm sandalwood and vanilla, and he didn't know whether to be happy or upset that she had probably gotten her scent all over his robe. Of course, she _had _to use his favorite bubble bath in a situation like this. The temptation to lean over and bury his nose in the crook of her neck increased. This was _really_ starting to get irritating.

It was a mixed blessing when she woke up slowly, with much stirring of her arms and legs. "Kaddar," she mumbled aloud. "Guess what?"

He bent down and kissed her forehead gently. "Happy birthday, Kally."

Kalasin stretched luxuriously, and pulled herself up into a sitting position slowly. "Thank you." She actually brushed her lips against his cheek—a definite first. "You called me Kally."

"Once a year. Don't get used to it." He realized that he was almost hugging her against him, but didn't let go. The early morning environment, combined with her happiness, had led to an extremely mild mood. Mild. Kalasin. It was hard to believe, but with Kalasin, anything was possible.

They got out of bed and made it, and after that, both of them sat down on the edge. She leaned against him, and he wrapped an arm around her. Kalasin rose and fell with his breath, and she had to admit that she was enjoying this. He hadn't done anything awful to her, or called her names, or _anything, _and Kaddar's robe kept her warm. It was _pleasant. _She rested her chin on his shoulder. It was the first time she had ever spent a birthday away from her family, and so far, being with Kaddar wasn't so bad.

"Mmm, Kalasin…" she nodded up at him. "…I'd like my robe back, by the way."

"Er! Later. Later would be good." Kalasin wriggled a little bit. She _liked _this robe. And she was having a hard time convincing herself that Kaddar _wasn't _trying to do anything perverted. After all, he had been nice today.

"Hmm. Later doesn't quite work for me. I'd like it back now." His hands traveled from her shoulders to her ribs, to the ties of the robe, teasingly.

"Ack!" Kalasin squealed as she felt his hands on her. "Oh, Goddess, no, not the ribs!"

Kaddar did some quick deduction and figured out that (ironically) Kalasin wasn't panicking over his attempt to undress her. She was panicking because he had touched her sides.

…Oh.

Kaddar began to tickle her mercilessly, and she yelped in his ear. She wriggled her arms free and grabbed a pillow, using it to fend him off. Their battle ended with Kaddar on his back, and Kalasin and the pillow squishing his chest. "I win," she panted. "Be glad I didn't hurt you too badly. First you tried to undress me, and then came the tickling. Double offense."

Kaddar was about to retort, when a crisp knock on the door sounded, followed by the aforementioned door being swung open. Zaimid fairly waltzed in, holding a few brightly wrapped boxes and a mountain of paperwork in his hands. It took him a few seconds to register the sight before him.

When he did, he stepped away slightly. "Ah…I apologize for my timing. I hope I haven't, um, interrupted anything." His eyes were wide. "Happy birthday, Empress. I'm glad to see that you've decided to shelve some of your inhibitions for the new year."

"_Zaimid!" _

Upon hearing the two infuriated voices, the chief healer fled, leaving the presents and the parchment on the desk. Kaddar sighed, and ruffled his hair sheepishly. When he looked at Kalasin, he found that she was blushing. "Um. You might want to get dressed," he suggested. "Before he comes back."

"Oh. Yes." An awkward silence filled the room for a few moments. "You _always_ get us into uncomfortable situations," Kalasin muttered.

"I do not," he scowled. "None of this would have happened if you hadn't put on my robe last night."

"It was either this one or the…other one…" she said, blushing a little harder. The 'other one' was rather low-necked. And had a slit all up one side. It had no sleeves to speak of, and two straps crisscrossed the back. Kaddar had seen her in it on their wedding night, for all of ten very uncomfortable minutes. Kalasin preferred to never think about those ten minutes again.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I know that if you stay here, I'm going to make some very inappropriate comments unsuited to your tender young ears. Out." Kaddar fairly pushed her out of their bedroom, ignoring her yelps of protest.

"My ears aren't young! They're nineteen! They've heard things!"

"They've heard nursery rhymes," he retorted.

"You are insufferable!"

"I try! You, on the other hand, are naturally insufferable!"

"You're going to make me cry, on my birthday! How are you going to live with that?"

"I make people cry on their birthdays all the time. It's how I get my sadistic joy."

An infuriated growling noise came from the other side of the door, and Kaddar smirked. And he won. Again. Life was fun like that. He walked away, absentmindedly wondering whether Kalasin would like red or yellow roses for her bouquet. Kaddar passed the bathroom, and looked inside. The 'other robe' hung on the back of the door, and Kalasin's normal pink and peach ones were folded, ready for use.

He very discreetly picked the two silk robes up and hid them in the back compartment of a large cabinet. Kalasin did deserve a rather…_explosive_…surprise, this birthday. One that he had no part of, because he was innocently picking flowers for her.

Genius. Pure genius.

---

--

-


	14. Salsa

**Chapter Fourteen**

Her head was pulled to one side. And then the other. Then backwards. "Ow!"

"Sorry, my lady," Rhiya said, sounding unrepentant. She was Kalasin's chief lady-in-waiting and Kaddar's cousin, and unfortunately, she had inherited a bit of Kaddar's obnoxiousness. Oddly enough, Rhiya was also one of Kalasin's closest friends. It was funny how these things worked out.

"If you're _really_ sorry, can you stop torturing my scalp?"

"Um. No." Rhiya finished the smaller braids, twisting them up to secure the knot at the back of Kalasin's head. She gave the ends an extra tug. "Beauty is pain. And since you're a year older, you can have more intricate hairstyles now. Aren't you excited?"

"Absolutely leaping with joy," Kalasin said dryly, tilting her head from side to side, discreetly admiring the results. If only her corset wasn't slowly crushing her to death, she would be enjoying this. Maybe she _was _a little vain, but getting dressed up like this was fun. She didn't understand why things like this made Kaddar twitch.

About three minutes later, she had dragged a rather grouchy Kaddar out of their study. "You look like you're going to a funeral, not a birthday," she scolded. She gave his sleeve an extra tug. "It's _my _birthday, to boot!"

"And that's supposed to make it all better?" he frowned.

"Yes," she replied without hesitation.

Kaddar sighed, defeated. "Fine then. You look very pretty."

"You mean _astonishing_," she corrected, spinning around. The silver threads on her sapphire gown glinted in the candlelight. He noticed the intricate embroidery on her scarf and on the light chiffon outer covering on her dress. It looked as if slivers of starlight had taken up residence on her dress and her hair.

Kaddar smiled slightly, brushing his fingers against her jawbone. "I don't know about astonishing, but I was speechless for a few moments. How about spellbinding?"

She beamed. "I like that. We're leaving now."

"It's seven-thirty. You surely intend to celebrate with a passion, don't you?"

Kalasin gave him a coquettish look. "Oh, yes I do. Come on, darling."

And so he was fairly dragged out of their rooms, trying not to fall flat on his face. Something told him that it was going to be a long night.

But with Kalasin, it always was.

--

The violins struck up an enchanting waltz, their high, clear sound reverberating through the ballroom. The violas and cellos came in a few measures later, the warm, rich sound creating a colorful backdrop for their higher-pitched cousins.

Zaimid Hetnim gave one of his trademark lovesick sighs as he gazed upon his empress. "She's so beautiful," he murmured, taking a sip of wine. "Like an elegant red rose."

"If my brother heard you say that, he'd scream," Nadi Iliniat observed dryly, watching Kaddar spin Kalasin around gracefully. "Is it just me, or do they seem to get along better?"

Zaimid considered sharing the lovely sight that he had walked in on in the morning, but decided to keep it to himself. The sight of Kalasin in a bathrobe would forever be an exquisite memory, and he didn't want to spoil it. "I think that they are," he replied. "Look at them. No discreet poking. No feet accidentally stepped on. No violent spins or frighteningly low dips. You know what that means, don't you?"

"They've fallen madly in love?"

"Either that, or they've finally started to act like normal people. It's about time, although I _am _going to miss watching their covert sniping. No more calculated, clever little insults that could _almost _pass for friendly banter."

"It's not just you who's going to miss that," sighed Nadi, poking her chicken tandoori. "It was entertainment for the entire Court. I think there were even bets going on who would finally get the last word."

"They make a bit of an adorable couple, though, don't they?"

"I suppose so," Nadi said slowly. "Don't ever tell Kaddar I said that. These past nine months, I've been teasing him about Kally being too pretty for him. It frustrates him to the point of tears."

Zaimid nodded. "Thanks for letting me know. I love frustrating Kaddar. As a matter of fact, I could make it a sport. Now what are we going to say? That we pray that their children will take after Kalasin?"

"Sounds good to me," she said brightly. "Look, they're coming back."

Kalasin led Kaddar back to their table by the hand, weaving in and out of the crowded dance floor. Both of their cheeks were flushed and their eyes were bright. "Hello," Kalasin grinned, sitting down in front of them. "And how are you two enjoying the night?"

"It's wonderful, Kally. Happy birthday, a million times over!" Nadi eyed her younger brother. "So, Kaddar…are you being nice to her?"

"Oh, of course," Kaddar said smoothly. "I even gave her roses."

"He's so sweet," Kalasin said flirtatiously, rubbing his leg with her foot under the table.

Nadi gave them a mischievous look. "Oh, absolutely. You two make an _adorable _couple."

Zaimid smirked. "I hope the children inherit more of Kalasin's looks, though. Especially those gorgeous eyes. And the delicate nose and ears…"

Kalasin coughed delicately, feeling herself blush. "Well, I don't think we can really control these things…"

Nadi sighed. "That's very true. The only things you two can consider are names."

Kaddar was trying very hard not to glare at either of them. He couldn't very well tell them to stuff it, because there were too many _people _around. He gave Kalasin a sidelong glance. She had gotten her blush under control, but had seemed to swallow a large amount of wine, as an excuse not to talk. "We haven't exactly considered names yet," he fumbled, "but I'm not naming _any _after you, Zaimid."

He pulled his foot out of his sandal quickly and brushed his bare toe against the curve of her calve, and Kalasin squeaked aloud, swallowed her wine as fast as she could, and tried to give Zaimid and Nadi her customary carefree beam. "Oh, um, don't mind Kaddar. He's made up his mind to use the name of a venerable ancestor…" she hoped that she didn't sound as panicked as she felt, and began to pluck at the weave of her handkerchief under the tablecloth. What was happening here?

Kaddar squirmed internally, trying to think of some way to take the focus off of any future additions to the Iliniat family. Kalasin looked as uncomfortable as he had ever seen her. She _was _an exceptionally good liar, but it would have been easier if there hadn't been any cause to lie. He wondered if his mother would be very upset if he imposed a life exile on his cousin and his sister.

Kalasin loved Nadi and Zaimid, but at that moment she wished that both of them were far, far away. This was _really _embarrassing. The urge to bury her head in metaphorical sand increased to an almost unbearable level. Even Kaddar's attempts to tickle the soles of her feet under the table didn't make her feel much better.

He snuck another glance at Kalasin. She had put her handkerchief down, and was trying to look as if she hadn't almost choked and fallen under the table about a minute earlier. Taking pity on her, he offered her his hand. "Would you do me the honor of another dance, my lady?" he asked formally.

She took it with a relieved smile, and he pulled her up. "It would be my pleasure."

A pounding salsa beat invaded the huge ballroom, and Kaddar found himself dragged to the dance floor again.

He discovered quickly that dancing the salsa and flamenco with Kalasin was an adventure. She might have been smaller than him, but she was quicker on her feet, and she was the one who ended up spinning him around and leading the dance. Kalasin flung an arm around his neck, grabbed his hand with the other, and developed a few rather clever improvisations, swaying her hips and her body to the music.

Kaddar found that he liked dancing with Kalasin. Salsa was a lot more fun than waltzing, in any case, and she was a _very_ outgoing dancer.

In a little less than an hour, he found himself thoroughly exhausted. He was almost panting, and Kalasin looked a bit worn out as well. They wandered out into the garden, the exuberant rhythms of the flamenco drifting outside as well. It was much cooler out here, a welcome change from the heat of the dance floor.

"Having fun?" he asked after a while, giving her hand a light squeeze.

She rested her head on his shoulder. "You have no idea. This is the most fun I've had since I came here. I like dancing with you," she said abruptly. "You need to loosen up a bit, though."

"Well, I can't exactly swing my hips and shake my shoulders like you, can I?"

"Hmm. I think you could, but then you'd end up hurting yourself, and we don't want that, do we?"

"Of course we don't."

They were completely quiet for a while as they stared into the dark sky, and Kaddar noticed how unusual it was for them. Kalasin didn't show any sign of moving, though, aside from turning her head away from him and looking down at the ground. "…Are you all right?" he asked quietly.

She didn't reply. One part of her wanted to break away and run as far from him as she could. The other part just wanted a hug. Homesickness was the _worst _thing she had ever experienced. It had hit as suddenly as the gigantic wave at Radzyn Keep, and had left her just as winded and tearful. Kalasin reached around and wrapped both of her arms around his waist, trying not to cry.

The moment she had started to think was when it had happened. Think about Roald and the poems he wrote her for her birthday every year. Think about Liam and the locket he had made himself and given to her for her last birthday, one that she still wore around her neck. Think about the years that her younger siblings had attacked her with hugs and well-wishes on her birthday, about spending time with Uncle Raoul and Aunt Cythera and Uncle Gary and _everybody…_

A sob escaped her, and then another, until she was barely aware of Kaddar pulling her into his arms for a tight hug, awkwardly wiping her tears away with the sleeve of his tunic. "Don't cry, please," he pleaded. "I don't want you to be upset."

She twisted around and tried to pull away, but he caught her tight. "It's going to be all right," he murmured reassuringly, stroking her hair.

Kalasin bit her lip into silence and tried not to speak. There was nothing she wanted more than to be a little girl at home in Tortall, and she didn't want to say anything that would hurt Kaddar.

They lapsed into silence for a little while, looking down into the pond. The water was black in the night, but it shimmered with the reflection of the stars and moon in the sky. "I'm selfish," he said at last, his voice cracking a little bit. "I know that you want to be at home right now, but I'm far too selfish to let you go. I want you here, with me."

_I'm sorry. _

The words hung in the air, and they gazed at each other silently. Both were apologizing for very different things, and Kalasin reached out and took his hand. "I…on most any other day, I wouldn't dream of leaving you."

They looked into the water, and their selves looked back at them solemnly, rippling in the light wind. Kaddar wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and she came a little closer. Their reflections moved a little, and they melded into one. Half of Kaddar, and half of Kalasin.

Kaddar leaned down and kissed her quickly. She blinked up at him, surprised, and he did it again, except this time it was on her forehead, nose, and then a slightly more lingering one on her lips. "Better now?"

She nestled into him. "More than you could imagine."

---

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	15. Different Types of Lessons

Note: One-hundred and one reviews! -is floored- Wow. Just...wow. I've never ever gotten this many reviews or so much positive feedback on a story before. Ever. I would like to thank each and every one of you who has ever reviewed. Your comments put a smile on my face and help me get through the day. It means a _lot _to me. -hugs- I love you guys.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Kalasin prowled the library all the time. Whenever Kaddar or the world was getting on her nerves, she could take solace in the dark, lonely, book-filled halls. It helped that the Imperial Palace had several such escapes, each stocked with thousands of books on every subject imaginable. Reading relieved tension. And boredom.

Which was why she was wandering the corridors of the Imperial Library aimlessly, noisily chewing on a piece of mango skin. It was true. She, Kalasin, was _bored. _Bored to death. There were no meetings, no parties, no visits, no ambassadors, and Kaddar had decided to catch up on a week's worth of sleep. He hadn't moved in about three hours. It wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't fallen asleep diagonally, leaving no space or blankets for her.

Kalasin gave her most world-weary sigh. Tyran conquest of Gallan land? Read that. History of the Copper Isles' most deranged rulers? Been there, done that. Inbreeding in the Carthaki Imperial Family? She wrinkled her nose, and passed the old volume with suspicious red stains by. No wonder Emperor Ozorne had been so desperate for foreign alliances.

After a thorough perusal of the history, drama, and horror sections, Kalasin collapsed in an armchair near an old lamp, despaired. She had read _everything. _Watching the warm patterns of golden lamplight dance against the dark red walls, mingling with the purple lights of sunset, she sighed. She was alone and miserable, and…

…something was poking her in the side.

Frowning, Kalasin turned around and found the culprit. A corner of something sharp stuck up out of the vibrantly orange velvet cushion she was sitting on, and Kalasin pulled it up hard. A small book lay in her hands. It was small, and pink, and it had sharp edges. The writing on the cover was a bit hard to read, and she squinted down at the faded gold calligraphy.

The Art Of Romance.

Kalasin almost scoffed and threw it away. Like she needed a sappy love story.

A glint from the cover caught her attention, and she put the book an inch away from her nose. A subtitle had appeared. "Not a sappy love story," it read.

She stared. She could have sworn the subtitle hadn't been there a minute ago. But then again, the books in the imperial palace were frankly _weird. _Rubbing her finger against the silky cover, Kalasin noticed how yellowed the parchment was, and how faded the title was. And yet the book was in perfect condition. The binding wasn't even creased.

It was curiosity, more than anything, which compelled her to open the book and begin to read.

The table of contents in itself was an adventure. First kisses. The technique of kissing. Do's and don'ts. Flattering lighting. Turning an average bedchamber into something with romantic atmosphere. What colors to wear. What to wear, in general.

There was a rather large section devoted to not wearing _anything, _which reduced Kalasin to shrinking down in her chair, blushing. All this time, she didn't know people _wrote _about this kind of thing. There were _pictures, _too…

Kalasin tore herself away from "One Hundred Ways to Spice Up Your Night" with a shiver. Some of the…techniques…described looked downright painful. There was _no_ way she would let Kaddar _blindfold _her and lick whipped cream off her shoulders. Being tied to the bedposts was out of the question. And she didn't know if she and Kaddar even _had _a bearskin rug.

She flipped back to the Technique of Kissing interestedly. Those pictures were far less scarring.

_How to angle your face to avoid bumping noses. _

_How to part your lips without bumping teeth._

_Ways to make your lips look endlessly kissable. _

_Non-awkward ways to initiate a first kiss. _

_What to do with your hands and arms while kissing._

_In order to avoid clashing noses, a couple will often turn their faces to one side or another when kissing, so that their heads are at an angle from one another. Often, to make this more comfortable, one person, sitting upright, will support another, perhaps across their lap and in their arms, thus combining hugging and kissing. The person supporting the other is most likely taking the more active role in kissing the other. _

Kalasin stared at the page. She didn't know what to think. She just knew that she was still blushing. She tried to imagine sitting in Kaddar's lap and being kissed. Nothing came up. They had kissed briefly before, but…still. Kissing for purely recreational purposes? This was a completely new train of thought for her.

Impulsively, the empress picked up the cushion on her lap and stared at it for a while. She turned her face to one side. The cushion stared back, mockingly. Kind of like Kaddar. Kalasin turned her head to the other side, still eyeing it dubiously. Steeling up her courage, she plunged her face into the cushion and kissed it.

After a few moments, she pulled away, spluttering. Kissing was _suffocating. _And the cushion tasted (and smelled) like sour grapefruit.

Kalasin quickly consulted her book for advice.

_Above all, do not plunge your face into your partner's. Approach gently and slowly, and keep your nose tilted slightly away during the kiss, so that you can still breathe._

…Oh.

Why did uncomfortable things like this _always _happen to her?

Kalasin slouched and sulked, not knowing _why _she was worrying like this. After all, Kaddar was the one who should kiss her. He _had _always kissed her first before. But…it was Kaddar. And knowing him, in a non-stressful situation, he'd probably do something hopeless, like accidentally knock her into a fountain while trying to kiss her. Or something awful like that.

Naturally, she had to make the first move. Leaving something like this up to Kaddar would be nothing less than complete, utter stupidity.

Kalasin sighed. It looked like she, the grapefruit-smelling cushion, and the weird book were going to be spending some quality time together.

--

Later that night, Kaddar speared a noodle with his fork, giving Kalasin a covert glance. She sat on an armchair across from him, and had covered the seat with a big blanket. There was also a cushion she was resting her head on, a garish, orange monstrosity that smelled vaguely of grapefruit, one that he didn't recall being there that morning.

Kalasin was being unusually quiet. When she thought that he wasn't looking, he had noticed her gazing intently at his face, his nose in particular. And then she would tilt her head slightly to the side and lean forward, as if she was in deep contemplation of something.

Maybe she wasn't feeling well.It was almost disturbing. And now she seemed to be unconsciously mirroring his movements.

Kaddar speared a piece of chicken.

Kalasin stabbed a grape.

Kaddar put a mouthful of steaming hot fried rice into his mouth, and almost yelped and fell off the sofa at the heat.

Kalasin ate an entire pickled chili without flinching.

They hadn't broken eye contact.

There was silence for a few moments, both waiting for the other to break down. Kaddar gave her the evil eye. "What's your issue?"

"Nothing. I don't have an issue." She paused. "You have a bit of mango on your lip."

Kaddar licked it off automatically, and for some reason, she blushed.

"No, seriously, what is it?" he demanded. "You've been on edge since you got back from the library. First I walk in on you sniffing that dratted cushion. Then there's the head-tilting. It's like you've gotten a crick in your neck. And you've been _staring _at me while I was eating my ice cream." He sighed deeply. "Kalasin, we've had this discussion before, but if you _want _my dessert, all you need to do is ask…"

Kalasin crossed her arms defensively. "I do not want your ice cream. And please don't lecture me. I have a valid reason for being on edge."

"Oh? What would that be?"

"I _want _to kiss you. For recreational purposes."

Kaddar simply gaped. Kalasin clapped her hand over her mouth. "It wasn't supposed to come out like that…" she mumbled. "Um, um, forget that ever happened?"

"Not quite," he said, crossing his arms. And here he had thought that he had finally figured her out. As if. "You want to kiss me? For, um, recreational purposes?"

Kalasin felt like running away and hiding under the bed. "…Yes."

He sighed again. "Then _kiss _me, silly Kalasin. You're making a big deal out of this."

"Don't call me silly!" she exclaimed, backing away to stand behind the armchair. Not like she was going to be hit with the sudden, unbearable urge to throw herself into his arms and kiss him, but it was always wise to play it safe. "I'm not just going to randomly kiss you!"

"Why?"

Kalasin stamped her foot. "Because—I—don't—know—how!"

Kaddar stared at her, and then, to her complete and utter disbelief, he began to laugh. "Mithros, Kalasin, how hard do you think it is? Just walk up to me and kiss me! I don't bite, you know!"

Kalasin plopped down on the chair and buried her head in her hands for a moment, and then she began to dig around in the cushions of the armchair, finally emerging with the Art of Romance. She waved it in Kaddar's face. "I spent the whole _evening _studying this, and you undermine my efforts?"

Kaddar scoffed, glancing at the little pink book. "Kalasin, I appreciate it, but really…it's a book. Do you really expect it to teach you how to kiss?"

"Yes!"

"No," he corrected gently. "I could teach you _much _better than that book could."

Kalasin, who had made up her mind to be as difficult as possible, put her nose in the air. "Prove it."

"Fine." Without further ado, he lifted her up from the armchair and sat down instead, pulling her down on his lap, so that her back pressed against his chest.

Kalasin blinked, half-turning so she faced him, racking her memory for useful passages in the book. "Arms around your neck?" she asked.

He nodded, and she complied, her back feeling a little uncomfortable. Kaddar shifted more to the side, so that it was more easier for both of them. He smiled into her wide eyes. "Ready?"

Kalasin nodded, feeling her heart pound against her ribcage. "As ready as I'll ever be."

And he leaned in, and kissed her. Kissed her when neither of them were dancing, drunk, or crying. Just a kiss, for the sake of it. Something that neither of them had really thought would happen.

There weren't any fireworks outside the window. The world didn't come to an absolute standstill. Kalasin gasped a little, and tightened her arms around his neck as the kiss deepened. It was the strangest feeling she had _ever _had—and the most pleasurable, too.

When they broke apart, Kalasin simply laid her head on his chest, feeling rather dazed. "You win," she murmured. "That was the best lesson I have _ever _had."

Kaddar smiled, stroking her hair. "It was just a brief tutorial, you know."

"Do you offer more in-depth lessons?" she asked coyly.

"Oh, you have _no_idea," he grinned.

Kalasin cuddled against him. "Mmm…is that a bearskin rug?" she asked abruptly.

"Yes. Why?"

"Er, no reason. You don't like whipped cream, do you?"

Kaddar chuckled. "I might. You ask the strangest questions. I wonder what thoughts cross your depraved mind."

"You, ah…probably don't want to know."

---

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So, what d'you think? Are everybody's individual needs for fluff satisfied?


	16. Kiss Kalasin With Care

**Chapter Sixteen**

At the age of twenty-five, Kaddar was completely ready to retire. He thought about it every day. He dreamed about it at night. He had been ruling Carthak for ten years already, and there were just times when he was _tired _of it. Particularly tedious Council meetings, in particular, had become his new favorite place to daydream about the future, until Kalasin was forced to poke him with her sharpest high heel to make him pay attention.

He longed for the day both of them could live in peace at Radzyn Keep.

There was one very significant thing separating them from a lifetime of peace and contentment.

In order for them to retire, there would have to be somebody else on the throne. A close relative or a child. Kaddar had no close relatives he was particularly fond of. Except Zaimid. He loved Zaimid, but giving him the throne would be nothing less than absolute stupidity. Kaddar was sure Zaimid's first act as Emperor would be to annul his marriage to Kalasin and marry her himself.

The very thought made him twitch.

As for children? …There were none of those yet.

There were a few times when he had idly thought of it. The night after Kally's birthday, he had awoken and stared at her for quite a while, wondering if their children would take after her. If they would be healers. Or if they would have her dark blue eyes.

He had mentally slapped himself for those thoughts a few days later. There was no point in even _thinking _about something like that now. He and Kalasin had just began to, ah, kiss for the purpose of pure recreation. It wasn't as if a heir would randomly appear out of kisses.

Thinking like this made him uncomfortable. They had a duty, as everybody was constantly reminding them. But Kaddar didn't want to put any pressure on Kalasin. Mithros, _he _didn't know if he was ready for something like a child. The mere thought made him feel old.

He gave his most world-weary sigh, just as the door to their rooms opened and closed with a bang. Cracking an eye open, he saw Kalasin, in a purple dress with mud-splattered boots. "I'm back," she said softly. "I thought you were asleep."

Kaddar beckoned for her to come closer. "I'm not asleep. Just contemplating my peaceful death."

Kalasin laughed and sat down near him. "You're a morbid, depressing person," she said. That didn't stop her from leaning down and giving him a hello kiss, and then flopping down next to him, using his chest as a pillow.

"Mmm. Take your shoes off," he mumbled.

The offending boots were kicked off, and Kalasin rubbed her bare feet against his, brushing her toes against his ankle teasingly. "That better?"

"Much." Kaddar yawned. "You're back late."

"It's not dinnertime yet," she protested. "And the University was particularly interesting today."

He snorted. "Right. Did your admirers convince you to stay an extra hour?"

"They're not my—"

"—They pant over you. And drool over you. They look at you like you're a piece of ripe fruit."

Kalasin tried not to giggle. "Hmm. Could it be that my lord is jealous that others seem to find me…" she paused, running a finger down his cheek. "…Delicious?"

"Me? Jealous? Never."

"Ajay of Sanjit said that I'm the cleverest woman he's ever met…and the most beautiful, too. He said that my intelligence _almost _surpasses my beauty."

Kaddar growled aloud and sat up, and Kalasin pulled him back down. "You _are _jealous!"

"Maybe." He hesitated for a minute. "…Nothing could surpass your beauty."

Kalasin looked down at him, and burst into laughter. "Stop it," she gasped. "Leave the flowery compliments to my would-be suitors. I need somebody to tease and torment and kiss me awkwardly—and that would be you."

"We bumped noses _once, _and you're not going to let me forget that, are you? It'll never happen again, after all."

Kalasin smirked. "Oh, really? Prove it." Her challenge ended in a yelp as Kaddar pulled her on top of him for a passionate kiss.

One thing began to lead to another, and before long, her dress had been discarded, leaving her almost-shivering in Kaddar's arms. The cotton of her shift was soft but not warm, and she clung to him for all of her warmth needs. His strong hands brushed the bare skin of her upper arms, and rested on her back. "Mmm," she mumbled through the kiss, content. Kaddar seemed to take that as permission, and he brushed her long hair out of his way and began to tug at the laces of her shift…

…and a crisp knock sounded at their bedroom door. Kalasin squeaked and fell off of him, and Kaddar sat up as quickly as he could, trying to brush his rumpled hair and tunic into place. "What is it?" he called, feeling a little irritated, despite himself.

"Dinner is ready, my lord and lady," was the squire's timid reply.

Kalasin groaned, flopping down on the pillow unceremoniously. "I forgot about dinner. Now we need to get ready before eight."

Kaddar was upset for a different reason. "They interrupted us for _dinner_?" he mumbled to himself, running his fingers through his hair.

Kalasin gave him a _look_. "Kaddar."

"What?"

She considered what she was about to say, and sighed deeply. "Nothing. I need the bathroom to myself, please. Don't come in." Kalasin bent down and picked up her dress, and stalked out of the room, feeling his eyes linger on her. It made her even more self-conscious than she already was, and she tripped on the hem of her shift and ran all the way to the bathroom, only relaxing when she had safely closed the door.

Turning around and facing the mirror, Kalasin blinked, startled. She had guessed that she was looking ridiculous, but this was more than she had expected. Her lips were slightly swollen, and there was the beginning of a mark on the back of her neck. Her shift was halfway unlaced, and one strap hung off her shoulder. Heat had flushed her face and neck, bringing out her freckles.

Kalasin moaned aloud, and sunk into the hot bubble bath after tossing her shift aside, wrapping her arms around herself. She felt…like a commoner girl who had been caught rolling in the hay with a lover.

She buried her head in her arms for a few moments, feeling anything except beautiful and desirable. She was _embarrassed. _But why? It wasn't as if they were doing anything _wrong. _

It took a lot of courage for her to look up over and into the mirror again. No. Still pathetic. She hadn't felt this way when she and Kaddar were actually kissing. It was just when they had pulled away afterwards…she had felt completely and utterly exposed. They had never done anything even remotely like that before. Maybe it would take some getting used to?

Kalasin felt like throwing a temper tantrum. She wanted to throw soap and spill bubble bath and stomp on towels as soft as rose petals. She wanted to splash warm, sandalwood-scented water at the elegantly tiled walls and light blue-carpeted floors. "It's not fair," she mumbled to herself. "Not _fair._" Kaddar wasn't the one having a mini-breakdown in a bathtub, feeling as if someone had stripped him bare and tied him up to a pole.

She had never felt disconcerted around him before. Angry, frustrated, upset, yes, but never uncomfortable.

But then again, she realized slowly, he had never looked at her like _that _before. Never looked at her with desire darkening his brown eyes. Never followed her around a room with his gaze.

Kalasin thought about it for a few minutes, splashing around absentmindedly. She came to a logical conclusion.

She would lock herself in the bathroom and never leave again. And if Kaddar _had _to see her for the purposes of the succession, she would fill the bathtub up with bubbles so that he couldn't see all of her. And then he wouldn't look at her like that again.

Sighing, Kalasin realized that that wasn't a very logical conclusion at all. She blew a bubble off of her nose, and it flew a few inches, before popping in a cloud of rainbow sparks. She sank down a little lower in the tub. Maybe…maybe she had asked for it. After all, she _had _been shamelessly flirting with him a little while before that.

It didn't make any sense. There were times when she _wanted _Kaddar to think her pretty and desirable. And now that it was finally happening, she was upset about it. Kalasin leaned down and bumped her head against the side of the tub despairingly. It would be nice if she could figure out her emotions some time or another.

A knock sounded on the bathroom door. "Kalasin! Are you in there?" It was Kaddar. Sounding panicked, for some reason or another.

"Obviously," she replied, keeping her voice from shaking.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm undressed. In the bathtub. Washing my hair and the rest of me. Why do you need to know this?"

There was a pause. "…Are you using bubble bath?"

"Rose and jasmine."

"Have the bubbles popped?"

"No," she sighed aloud. He was so _weird _sometimes.

"Kalasin. Please don't take this the wrong way…but can I come in?"

"_What?" _she demanded indignantly, sinking down even further. "I know that you've discovered some new animalistic desires, but Goddess! I want to be _alone!_"

"Kally, no, it's not about the…where did you come up with animalistic desires? Anyway, look, I bathed in the other bathroom and there are no towels in there and my only robe is in there with _you!" _

Kalasin let that sink in for a moment. "You mean…you're standing out there…"

"No!"

"Thank the Goddess. What are you _wearing, _then?"

There was a long pause. When Kaddar finally spoke, she could barely hear him. "I'm wearing your robe. The peach one."

"But…" she tried to imagine it. "But…you…"

"Kally, _please._" There was a definite note of pleading in his voice.

She sighed, turning toward the wall, and turned on more bubble faucets, so that the bubbles safely covered her up to her chin. "Come in. I won't look."

The door opened and closed, and she heard a rustling of silk as the robes were changed. Kalasin felt self-conscious again, because when she opened her eyes, he was looking at her, a peculiar expression on his face. "What?" she asked, sounding more forlorn than she had intended.

"Nothing. Are you all right?"

"Mmm," she said noncommittally.

"After all, you practically ran out on me. Did I do something wrong? I didn't bump your nose and cause a nosebleed again, did I?"

He sounded so worried that she had to smile, despite her blush. "No. You didn't do anything except make me feel…wanted. A little bit more wanted than I'm used to."

Kaddar was silent for a moment, before nodding. "I…I think I understand." He moved forward, as if he wanted to stroke her cheek, before thinking better of it. "Look—I'm sorry. If I ever…" she noticed he was blushing. "If I ever move too fast for you or make you feel uncomfortable or anything, feel free to disillusion me."

"Oh, I will," Kalasin assured him, mock-seriously. She gave him a sudsy foot-wave. "I'm going to get out now, and you can either turn around or get out of here."

"I'll leave," he grinned. "I don't think I trust myself _quite_ that much yet."

Kalasin pulled herself out and toweled herself off, savoring the feeling of the soft towel on her body. The memory of their kisses returned, and this time she didn't feel like digging a hole and burying herself in it. Maybe she wouldn't have to live in a bathtub after all.

She felt a tiny pang of regret, though, and dismissed it very quickly. The bathtub wasn't quite deep enough to dunk Kaddar in, so therefore using her newfound seduction skills to lure him in would be completely unnecessary.

Okay, so maybe they weren't exactly seduction skills yet.

That, however, could be easily corrected.

---

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	17. Love Potion 101

**Chapter Seventeen**

Kalasin had studied love potions while at the University. There were many different kinds, ranging from the innocent types used to gain a first kiss, to ones as potent as to make one become _obsessed _with the person whom the enchantment dictated.

Love potions weren't _real_. Not in the conventional sense. No potion could imitate or manufacture love. The emotion generated was more of a strong infatuation. Lust. Or obsession so strong it pushed reason and logical thought aside. Needless to say, the stronger varieties could be very…dangerous.

Kalasin squinted at the clear liquid inside the fragile glass vial. "This is it? Amoria? Are you _sure_?"

Zaimid sighed. "Kalasin, it's labeled as a highly dangerous substance, class three. Of course it's Amoria."

She blushed. "Yes, well, I haven't actually _seen _this potion before. Studied it, yes, but never seen it. It looks so innocent, though…"

"Pfft. Innocent, this? Of course," he eyed the potion dubiously, holding it up to the light. "This lovely little vial _is_ the reason the Iliniat line was founded."

"Oh, really? What happened?"

"The illegitimate Princess Aishwarya used this potion to make her elder royal half-brother fall madly in love with her. The half-brother, Raj, was so blinded with his infatuation that he killed his father and two younger brothers, in order to marry her. It was a bit of a tempestuous marriage. Especially after the potion began to wear off, but by then it was a bit too late to rectify things."

Kalasin made a face. "How lovely."

"Yes, I know," yawned Zaimid. "It's my job, as guardian of all the dangerous medical potions to be guarded, to make sure these lovely creations never see the light of day."

Kalasin sipped her wine. "Well, it sounds exciting, dealing with so many different kinds of dangerous substances."

"Hardly." He contemplated the Amoria thoughtfully. "This actually isn't the _most _hazardous love potion available. Its potency could be decreased by dilution in liquid."

"Hmm. What's the most hazardous love potion available?"

"Te Amor. Why the sudden interest?" he smirked. "Thinking of slipping a little into Kaddar's drink? I didn't know you were _that _desperate for some attention. Well-deserved attention, at that…"

Kalasin smirked back and got up, dusting her skirts off. "I have all the attention I need, thank you very much."

"You know where to find me!" he called desperately as she walked away. She didn't seem to hear him, but instead fluttered her fingertips in a flirtatious wave. Zaimid sighed theatrically, and settled back in his chair to continue his lonely, miserable existence. Women were so _cruel. _

Kalasin, oblivious of the distress she had caused, undressed in the privacy of her room, sighing in relief as she pulled her brutal corset off. Carthak was beginning to warm up for mid-spring, and it was _far _too warm for the layered, intricate dresses. Her fingers fumbled on the dark red silk of her slip's sash, and something small fell out of it.

She blinked and went down on hands and knees, groping around on the bearskin rug for whatever it was that she had dropped. Her slender fingers found the familiar shape of a glass vial, and she groaned aloud. It was the Amoria. She must have put it in her sash on accident. And now it was here with her, _not _being guarded by the guardian of dangerous things to be guarded.

"Kalasin?"

Kalasin looked up, startled, and bumped her head against the nightstand. "Ow!"

Kaddar stared at her. She was lying on her front, both elbows propped in front of her, looking utterly shocked. The skirt of her shift had gotten caught against the wood of the nightstand, giving him a very nice view of her legs. And down her shift. "Kalasin…I had no idea you were interested in that kind of thing. However, bear fur provides a _beautiful _setting for your skin."

"Pervert!" she yelped, rolling upright and trying to cover herself, tugging her skirt to a modest length. "I…you…looked down my dress!"

"I couldn't resist," the emperor smirked, helping her up. "I thought you were trying to seduce me. I was only playing along."

Kalasin glared at him icily. "_I _am going to get dressed, since my husband's perverted mind prevents me from doing something as simple as walking around with a shift on."

She swept out of the room, and Kaddar resisted the temptation to laugh. Maybe it would be best for him to pour a few drinks for both of them, at least to calm his little firebrand down. A small vial on the nightstand, next to the wine bottle, attracted his attention. He picked it up curiously, uncorked it, and smelled it.

It was without doubt one of the most seductive scents he had ever smelled. The aroma of freshly cut, ripe mangos, and the smell of red roses in full bloom. Many other smells and tastes lingered, but one in particular teased all of his senses—the warm, inviting scent of Kally's hair and skin. Kaddar swallowed. It was obviously one of Varice's new taste-enhancing concoctions—even though he stayed away from her culinary inventions most of the time, this was just too tempting.

He poured a small amount into Kally's glass, and then into his, before corking the vial and putting it back down. Taking the glasses back to the sofa, he sat down and waited. Kalasin emerged from the bathroom after a while, looking less cranky. She had taken her hair down from its elaborate style, leaving it to hang down her back, begging to be touched. Predictably, she had also put on a rather modest nightgown.

Kaddar offered her a glass as she sat down, leaning next to him. "Here. I think you're really going to like this."

Kalasin gave him a little smile. "Thank you."

"To us?"

"To us," she confirmed, clinking her glass against his. She took a deep swig of it, and immediately noticed that something was different. The wine's taste was fuller and richer, and burned down her throat and stomach. It made her feel lightheaded immediately, and she gasped aloud. It tasted different, and smelled different. The feeling of her silk nightgown against her body was suddenly heightened, and the colors around her whirled, and when they settled, they were brighter.

Her senses were sharper, more acute, and yet her muscles felt deliciously languorous. "Kaddar?" she murmured. Her voice sounded quiet to her ears, and yet she noticed every rustle of fabric and every beat of his heart.

He blinked at her, trying to clear his vision. "Mmm?" Kaddar watched the graceful sweep of her eyelashes against freckled cheeks. Out of sheer curiosity, he reached out and touched her bottom lip, rubbing the pad of his thumb against the soft skin.

_Pretty. _

Kaddar didn't know whether he had said it aloud or thought it, but she leaned forward a little, rubbing the tip of her nose against his cheek. The sense of touch burned them both a little, electricity tingling where their skin brushed. It didn't hurt, though. Kalasin rather felt as she wanted more of it.

Kissing was a bit of a change, although maybe it was because she more _fell _across his lap than sat in it, as usual. Kaddar found that he really liked kissing her, though…all he noticed was the feeling of pure Kalasin. The scent, the touch, the _feel _of her. The little sounds she made when they changed position, or the way she would squeak as he rubbed his hands against her sides.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pressed her against him tightly. Kalasin pulled away suddenly and looked into his eyes, as if seeking reassurance. "This—us—"

"Shh," he murmured gently, wrapping her in his arms again. Kaddar put one finger against her lips. "Don't talk. It'll be all right."

The setting changed in a whirl of color and feel as she felt not Kaddar's chest at her back, but their crushed velvet bedspread. Kalasin vaguely registered her nightgown being coaxed off, and the millions of different textures against her bare skin as Kaddar pulled her down into the warmth of the covers and pillows with him…

--

Kalasin woke up, and wished she hadn't. "…Bright…light…" she moaned. "Keep it _away._"

"It isn't bright light; it's a sliver in the curtains." Gentle hands brushed her bare arms and back as they pulled the covers up to her chin. "It'll take a little while for you to get used to it."

"Oh, Kaddar," she mumbled. "We…did we…"

"Yes," he said quietly, bending over to kiss her on the cheek. "Are you…are you all right?"

She blinked up at him. "I think. Yes."

"Be more convincing, sweetheart," he murmured, stroking her hair. "Your head hurts."

Kalasin nodded shyly. She didn't know what to say or how to talk. She shifted a little, feeling the echoes of minor aches in her exhausted muscles. "Mmmgh," she said in agreement.

He offered her a goblet, and she drank it down. Her headache and muscle pain disappeared instantly. "Kally," he murmured, rubbing his finger across the line of her jaw. "Kally, what happened last night? Was it the wine?"

Kalasin shook her head ruefully. "You poured the vial into our goblets, right?"

"I did. I thought it was a…taste-enhancer," he said, feeling a little stupid. "Although now I see that it couldn't have been just that."

She smiled up at him. "Love potion. From when I was working with Zaimid. I brought it in here by accident."

Kaddar couldn't help but feel shocked. "L—love potion? But, but, if it was love potion, wouldn't we still be feeling the results?"

Kalasin blushed a little. "Love potion…it, um, in some cases, it creates feelings of passion and desire. Love, if you will. In others, it only fuels what's already there."

"Oh," he said, blushing as well. "So…it was like a push in the right direction."

The empress nodded, toying with the sleeve of his dark green robe. "Maybe it was a good thing," she suggested, squeezing his hand. "Do you think that we would have really, ah, gotten down to it otherwise?"

He had to grin. "Oh, I think we would have. After all,"—he bent and nuzzled her neck—"you _are _the most beautiful person I have ever met. I think that this would have happened sooner or later. I'm all right with sooner, though."

Her arms raised and pulled him down to her in a tight hug. "Thank you," she mumbled against his neck. "For this. For _everything._"

"Are you sure you'll be all right?" he asked, sounding worried. "I mean, we spent most of our married life hating each other. Are you okay with what happened?"

"More than," she assured him. "It was, um…" she hesitated and blushed, glad that she was safely covered by the blankets, "…it was nice. And I never really hated you."

"Same here." Kaddar eyed the pillows longingly. "We didn't get much sleep last night, did we?"

Kalasin moved over, creating a space for him. "Come here, handsome."

Within a few moments, she had fallen asleep again, leaving Kaddar awake. He stroked her hair away from her shoulders and chest, before pressing a kiss to her collarbone. She purred slightly and snuggled closer, and he wrapped his arm around her waist snugly.

They would have to talk, he realized, after they woke up. They would have to explain to their councilors why they had missed a very important meeting and dinner. They would have to look each other in the eye and deal with more blushing and awkwardness and learn how to interact with each other on a new level.

Kaddar closed his eyes and buried his head in the crook of her shoulder. But as long as Kalasin was content and happy, he was, too.

---

--

-


	18. Morning After

**Chapter Eighteen**

It had taken a while for Kalasin to get used to the fact that within a few hours of missing a council meeting with some very important Scanran ambassadors, missing the dinner with the aforementioned important ambassadors, _and _missing breakfast with the very important, and now royally peeved ambassadors, her and Kaddar's love life had become the hottest topic of discussion in the Imperial Court.

It was _everywhere. _Zaimid turned red with twisted glee as soon as she and Kaddar walked into his office midmorning. Thankfully, he kept his mouth shut. Kalasin was surprised. He looked like he was _dying _to do something stupid, like…

"I knew it! I knew it!" he burst out at last, in a fit of triumphant laughter. "I _knew _you and Kalasin were a perfect match, I _knew _you two had chemistry, and I _knew _that one of you two would cave sooner or later!"

Kaddar shook his head despairingly and rubbed his head, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. Kalasin observed the carpet of the study intently.

"I mean, it's a bit shocking that it took so long, since you two are both rather good-looking and intelligent individuals and whatnot," Zaimid continued, waving a stack of parchment around enthusiastically. "I—"

"—thought it would have happened sooner," completed Kaddar wryly. "As you've toldus several times, but—"

"—it couldn't have happened sooner, because Kaddar and I kind of hated each other until about four months ago—"

"—but you _shouldn't _have hated each other, because your dynamic combinations of intelligence and good looks and the emotional and sexual uncertainty of an arranged marriage _should _have driven you two into each other's arms, and created a fiery and passionate relationship," Zaimid sighed. "But I'm very pleased that you two remembered the beginning half of my speech. It's nice to know that I made an impact."

Kalasin thought back to his inviting her to work with him in the potions department, and the bottle of Amoria that he had shown her. "Oh, you made more of an impact than you realize," she giggled.

"_Excellent,_" he said, drawing himself up to his full height and turning toward Kaddar. "Oh, esteemed imperial cousin, please do me the honor of naming even one of your undoubtedly gorgeous offspring after me!"

"No," was the placid reply. "I don't want to leave any children of ours scarred like that. It would haunt him for life. Or her," he added, with what Zaimid perceived as unnecessary sadistic glee.

"Stop! _Just because _my name had its roots in the female goddesses of Siraji mythology _doesn't mean _you can still taunt me about it. I'm not ten and incredibly sensitive any more, you know!"

Kaddar smirked. "Could've fooled me."

"Insensitive prick."

"Rotten influence."

"Ink-sniffer."

"Medicine woman."

Zaimid's jaw dropped, and his entire face quivered with righteous indignation. At that, Kalasin thought it best to put herself between the warring cousins. "And I think we had better leave," she said sweetly, stepping back and giving Kaddar's sleeve a firm tug. He didn't move, and Kalasin was forced to dig her nails into his arm, causing a yelp. "I _said, _don't you think we had better leave? After all, we're running late for…for the very important meeting…"

"Where and why?" asked Zaimid, folding his arms and glowering.

Kaddar felt the impending threat of his arms getting closely acquainted with Kalasin's fingernails again. "Oh! The…very important meeting…in the very important place…about the very important thing…"

"Top secret, you see," explained Kalasin apologetically. "See you later!"

Zaimid watched her drag Kaddar down the hallway, and sighed. She was so kind. So noble and just, just enough for her to try and defend her insensitive prick of a husband, even when it was clear that the aforementioned prick was in the wrong. _Medicine woman, _indeed, he thought darkly, shutting his office door. It was high time he rediscovered his old bottle of itch potion…

Meanwhile, Kalasin had decided to relinquish her hold on Kaddar's arm. "What _are _we going to do, anyway?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Find our councilors. And make excuses."

"Should we be pathetic and overworked, or regal and try to generate the we're-too-mysterious-and-royal-to-follow-mortal-rules aura?"

"Whatever the situation calls for," Kaddar replied. They turned the corner, and just as fate would have it, almost knocked into two of their councilors.

A few awkward moments of silence ensued, followed by both Kaddar and Kalasin making excuses.

"—and, um, then we got locked out of the castle," Kaddar finished hurriedly. "When it started to rain, we went to the stables and I think we fell asleep. Empress Kalasin and I will _certainly _be at the conferences this evening, though."

"Of course," agreed Kalasin. "No more evening walks around the courtyard on a stormy day for us."

"Bad for the health, you know, my lord and lady," croaked Duke Samjan, waving a gnarled hand for emphasis. "My darling duchess died of pneumonia…"

"Not as bad as what happened to my old uncle," replied the Lord of Sanjit, shaking his head sadly. "Bone rot. And gangrene. Festering lungs. Or was it a combination of all three?"

Kalasin and Kaddar both blanched. After making their excuses, they ran away as imperially as possible, before standing in a wall niche as innocently as they knew how. "D'you see them?" Kalasin whispered. "They're both wonderful people, I'm sure, but their stories honestly frighten me."

"Duke Samjan used to tell me stories when I was young and in the nursery," he said grimly. "I remember his tale about the conquest of Elkallatum. I think I cried. And then I had nightmares for the next month."

"How awful," Kalasin murmured sympathetically, resting her head against his shoulder. "It's hardly any wonder you turned out the way you did."

"Wait, you…" he scowled, before she unceremoniously pounced on him, putting a hand over his mouth. "Quiet! They're coming back!"

Both of them pressed tight into the niche, trying to disappear behind the mock-up Red Legion soldier.

"It's a blessing, I tell you, Sanjit," Duke Samjan croaked happily, as they walked past. "To be young again."

"Young and in love," sighed the other man, gripping his walking stick tightly. "I've long forgot what it's like to feel that kind of passion for another person. They're a nice couple, work well together, and any children they have will be _exceptionally _good-looking."

Samjan nodded in assent, his many chins wobbling. "Awful liars though, both of them. Locked out of the castle indeed. It wasn't even _raining _last night!"

"That's the problem with being young and foolish," the walking stick was waved in the air alarmingly, "they don't respect the intelligence of their elders!"

"They think we're so old we don't even know if it rains or not," laughed Samjan. "I beg to differ, don't you?"

The elderly couple shuffled further down the hallway, and the emperor and empress sighed in relief. "They're gone." Kaddar helped her out of the niche, and they continued aimlessly toward the main entrance. He nudged her playfully. "Have I ever told you how much blinding passion you ignite in me?"

"Mmm, no," she replied slowly. "Don't you just love me, though? For my rare beauty and how well I work with you?"

He wrapped an arm around her waist. "I do. Now, shall we go to the stables?"

"Are you suggesting something?"

"Not exactly," he replied. "After all, I've always imagined hay would be a bit itchy to roll around in, haven't you?"

Kalasin blushed slightly. "Well, it's not as if I _think _about that kind of thing, you know."

"You don't fool me, Kally," he teased with a grin. "I've seen the way you eye that bearskin rug."

"I do not!" she exclaimed.

Kaddar ignored her. "I'll only consider it if we can use pillows," he said, straight-faced. Pillows and a blanket. And a feather duster."

"A…feather duster?"

"To brush loose fur off of skin," he said, as if something like that should be obvious. "Of course, I can just _imagine _your squeal if I brush those feathers across your ribs…"

"Sadist."

"I know."

"Why do I even _like _you, anyway?"

"Because we're kindred spirits. Sadist meets sadist." He raised an eyebrow at her suggestively. "Want to know what I'm thinking?"

"Kaddar. I really like you, I do. But I don't think I'm the dominant/submissive type."

"May I ask you again tomorrow?"

"Of course. I still adore you, even though you rejected me, you know." Kalasin smiled at him flirtatiously.

"I adore you, too."

---

--

-


	19. SelfEsteem Issues

**Chapter Nineteen**

Kaddar yawned and stretched, before collapsing against the bed with a theatrical moan. He cracked an eye open, congratulated himself, and then wished that Kalasin had been around to hear him. _Another _awfully stressful Council meeting. He was almost shaking. And as a result of yet more arguing about trade with the Yamani Isles, he probably had white hair already.

The emperor sighed and buried his head in the pillow, not caring if it was immature.

"_Somebody's _gloomy," a voice remarked tiredly.

Kaddar looked up from the pillow groggily, noticing Kalasin. She leaned on the door to her dressing room, so all he could see of her was her face and damp hair. "Hello, Kally. Won't you come out and chastise me for being depressed?"

She made to step forward, and hesitated. "Don't laugh."

"Why would I laugh?"

The empress sighed and stepped out of the cover of the other room, wishing that she was somewhere else. To his credit, Kaddar didn't laugh. His eyes merely widened to the size of small full moons, and then he stared at her. Starting at her eyes, to her blushing cheeks, and all the way down to her toes. And back up again.

Kalasin buried her head in her hands. "I am _never _going to let you see me in my underthings _again." _

Kaddar shook his head hard and sat up. "Wait, Kalasin. You look…" he considered all the things he could say about Kalasin wearing nothing but a breastband and a slip that reached just above her knees, and finally settled with "absolutely ravishing."

"Absolutely ravishing?"

"It means _beautiful, _just modified for the coquette that you are."

"Stop that," she said, blushing anew. "_I'm _not the flirt. You are."

"Oh? If _I'm _the flirt, why did _you _just waltz in here in such a state of provocative undress?"

"Big words," she smirked, crossing the room and sitting next to him. "I'm surprised. You were amusingly incoherent just a few minutes ago. Oh, and by the way—I wouldn't even be out here if it wasn't for a rather shocking random incident."

Kaddar sat back, regarding her amusedly. "Shocking random incident? Do clue me in."

"As you might know, I have three robes that I use on a regular basis. One is peach. One is pink. One is dark blue with gold embroidery. I have another robe, too. I don't really like to talk about it, after what happened on our wedding night."

"The 'other robe', you mean?"

"That's right. Curiously enough, after my bath today, I reached for the cabinet in which I keep all my robes. And I found…nothing. No peach, no pink, no blue. Only the lavender robe—which doesn't really have enough _material _to be called a robe—remained. Nobody except us goes into that bathroom. Nobody except you and I have the opportunity to go rummaging around in my cabinets."

"Are you implying something?" he asked, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Kalasin lost all patience, and poked him in the ribs hard. "_You _took my other robes! You intentionally attempted to humiliate me!"

"Did not," the emperor replied, trying not to laugh. "You're making a big deal out of this. There's nothing humiliating about that other robe, anyway."

Kalasin made a sound somewhere between a growl and a snarl, before gesturing to her chest and hips. "Look at _this_! Do you _think _I've…grown…that much in ten months? Do you?"

Kaddar gave her an appraising look. "I don't think it would be falling off you, though. Not like last time."

The empress gave him a wrathful look. "_You_ weren't complaining, I recall. You were rolling around laughing."

"I threw you a blanket."

"After at least five minutes of watching me try to keep the robe on using any means possible."

Kaddar sighed. "All right. This could go on forever. There's no point in reliving our wedding night. The only thing it'll do is bring up unpleasant memories…" _or, more likely, make me split my side laughing. _

"Fine," she sulked. "But I won't forgive you for a while."

"…I'll rub your feet if you get over your anger by tonight."

"Done." With that, she moved over and placed both feet on his lap. Kaddar began to rub his thumb in slow, small circles over her soles and heels, and she exhaled in relief, before leaning back on her elbows. "I _cannot _believe I told you to look at my chest," she muttered at last.

"Stop that. It wasn't exactly a punishment, you know," he teased. "What have you been _doing _to your poor feet, though?"

"Walking. Conferences. Riding horses. Seeing to patients. More walking. My legs are _killing _me."

He shifted a little, moving his attentions from her feet to her calves. "That better?"

The warm press of his hands on her sore muscles felt _good. _It hurt and soothed at the same time, and both of her hands clutched the sheets hard. A little gasp escaped her as he began to knead the side of her legs. One of his elbows rested lightly on the side of her upper ribs, a little too close to her chest for comfort. Kaddar began to work his thumb in a circle at the base of her knees, moving back and suddenly there wasn't any room between his elbow and her chest. He didn't seem to notice, though, even as his arm brushed the area enough to make fighting the urge to arch her back almost unbearable.

"…Kaddar…" she sounded almost as if she was pleading for something, and he looked down at her, and suddenly wished that _he _were somewhere else.

"Oh, Mithros, Kalasin, I'm _so _sorry!" He pulled his elbow from his chest, feeling awful. And _how _long had he been invading her personal space like that? Had it hurt? Kaddar felt as if he was just about the dimmest person on earth. He had practically been…squishing…her…chest…with his elbow and hadn't noticed. Looking at her, he wondered _how _he couldn't have noticed.

Kalasin turned to her side, covering herself with her arms. The area he had touched was now uncomfortably warm, and she felt like hiding somewhere far away. "Okay," she said, voice muffled. "I've been wanting to ask/clarify this for ages—well, the last three minutes, about--and now I am going to ask you, since what just happened was so cataclysmically awful. Would it be better if I was…curvier?"

Kaddar let go of her shoulders abruptly, sincerely glad that he hadn't been drinking anything at the moment. _"What?" _he demanded.

"You know what." She struggled to get up on her knees and pull her slip down to a modest length. The place where his elbow had brushed tingled anew, making her blush even harder.

"Kalasin, you are without a doubt _the _most ridiculous, misguided, foolish woman I have _ever _met. _Ever._"

Kalasin blinked, uncrossing her arms slowly. "What?"

"I like you just the way you are, and I wouldn't have wanted you any other way, regardless of what robes you can or cannot wear." He leaned over and pulled her into his arms. "I'm a bit shocked you'd even ask that."

"Why?"

"Because you're…Kalasin. I didn't think that, um, you noticed physical things much." _Girl things. _

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Oh, Kaddar. Just because I don't show it very much or _tell _you doesn't mean I don't think about things like that. I just wondered about it sometimes, that's all. And having you not notice that you were squishing my chest kind of caused self-esteem issues. Especially since, er, I don't have as much in that department as others."

"Kally, sweetheart," he said softly, kissing the top of her head. "You know I just like to tease you about it, right? You, the way you are, is enough to make me more than happy."

Kalasin nodded, settling against him. She felt strange now. Relieved that he liked her the way she was, but worried that he would think her shallow or _weird _for asking him. It wasn't as if she had planned it, anyway. It had just slipped out. She noticed that he was finger-combing her hair gently, more as if he was brushing the hair of a doll.

She exhaled aloud, suddenly frustrated. "Why do these things have to be so _complicated_?"

The comforting warmth of Kaddar's fingers left her hair as he peered down at her. "These things?"

"…Life."

"You said _things._ That means more than one."

"…Living with somebody else and caring what they think of you. Wanting their approval and affection."

"Love?" She couldn't see him, but she sensed the change in his voice and felt his breath hitch in his chest slightly.

"Kind of," Kalasin said quietly, ducking her head down. "I…yes. It's complicated and confusing."

Kaddar laughed a little. "Complications and confusion. Weren't we supposed to have left that behind with adolescence?"

"It would have been better if we had."

He resumed combing her hair. She was beginning to recognize it as a nervous habit of his, but didn't complain. It felt good. "Life doesn't always work out so easily. We should know."

Kalasin yawned. "Do you ever wonder what it would be like if things had been different?"

"How different?" Kaddar's arms tightened around her, and he wondered briefly if he even wanted to know.

She looked up at him. "When I was fifteen and first learned of our engagement, I wished it would never happen. I think I wished it every day until our wedding. I wished that I would never have had to leave Tortall."

Kaddar realized that he didn't want to know the rest.

"But now I…I'm more than happy with you. I can't imagine life anywhere else."

She gave him a tremulous smile, and Kaddar bent and gave her a little kiss. "I think you're a little exhausted, Kally. Get some rest." Kalasin gazed up at him, looking as if she wanted to say something, but then she nodded and pulled the covers over her. Her brows were furrowed in deep thought, and he wished he knew how to soothe her worries.

She did fall asleep after a while, one of her hands clutching the sheets hard. He leaned over and rubbed the hand gently, until she released it with a tiny sigh. Kaddar looked at her, trying to comprehend everything that had come to pass in the last hour.

It was like they had both crossed a line, and now there was no going back. He rubbed her shoulder absentmindedly, having a hard time understanding what she had said.

Love. Did she…love him? Kaddar knew that their relationship had developed quite a bit. They could touch and kiss and debate and be sarcastic. But he had always thought that Kalasin had just _liked _him. _Love_ was a little too large for him to comprehend. It was just beyond his understanding. He didn't even know what really loving somebody was.

He respected Kalasin for her intelligence and wit. She ensured that he never had a dull moment in his life. And he couldn't imagine anybody else by his side.

Kaddar bent down and kissed her cheek. "Sweet dreams, Kally. And…well, I care about you, too."

---

--

-


	20. Shaking Foundations

**Chapter Twenty**

It was late March, and Carthak was blossoming. The weather was warm and balmy, and the scent of flowers and trees in full bloom pervaded the courtyards and gardens of the Imperial Palace. The roses were blooming early this year, with even more rich, beautiful colors than usual. Cherry blossom trees imported from the Yamani Isles were sprouting flowers of a startling pink. Jasmine vines had taken over many gardens, much to Kalasin's delight. She loved the strong, sweet scent, and often wore whole strings in her hair.

This time of the year meant only one thing: Spring Festival.

Varice had been talking about it for most of the year. She had begun planning the catering five months ago. Nadareh Iliniat took a break from her continued magical and architectural studies and decided to take decorating the castle for the festival into her own hands. Duke Samjan had begun to tell stories about the Spring Festivals of the Grand Old Days again. Kaddar's squire went around the imperial suite humming the Waltz of the Sugar Plum Fairy and pirouetting at random intervals. Zaimid had presented Kalasin with a bouquet of dandelions every day for the past week.

Kalasin had never _been _to a Spring Festival in Carthak before, but so far, she had gathered that it struck all Carthakis with something akin to madness-inducing fever.

On the morning of March twenty-first, Kalasin decided that she needed to know answers, and _soon. _Kaddar had fairly skipped into her dressing room, and completely disregarding the fact that Rhiya was trying to finish doing Kalasin's hair, hugged his empress so tightly that her bare feet left the floor. Kalasin squeaked in surprise and laughter, flinging her arms around Kaddar's neck.

He had staggered a few paces in that manner, before tripping over a high-heeled sandal, pitching them both onto the sofa in a giddy, giggling mess.

Rhiya had watched the entire spectacle wide-eyed. "Oh, you two are…"

"Such an adorable couple?" laughed Kaddar, barely noticing the fact that Kalasin had probably knocked most of the air out of his chest after collapsing on top of him like that.

"I was thinking more along the lines of utterly disgusting." Rhiya shook her head in mixed amusement and disbelief. "My lady Kalasin, I was planning to follow your example of _not _falling in love. Remaining impervious to a man's advances and adoration and whatnot. Now I have to go to all the trouble of finding a new role model." With that, she flounced out of the room dramatically.

Kalasin choked back a giggle. "Kaddar, your little cousin is so bitter. You and Zaimid probably pulled her hair when she was young, or some such horror. No wonder she finds the thought of love and males so distasteful."

The emperor chuckled, playing with a lock of her hair. "Rhiya, find the thought of love and males distasteful? Let me clue you in, my lady: Rhiya's had a rather deep, unrequited passion for Deva of Singh for the past seven years, and—"

"Deva of Singh?" Kalasin asked, in a hushed whisper. "But isn't he…the…"

"The crossdresser, yes," sighed Kaddar. "It almost broke her heart. But she still keeps hope that he'll, um, lose his fondness for red brocade gowns and green hair ribbons and return her affections. Sad, isn't it?"

The empress was silent for a moment. "I'm glad you're not a crossdresser. You'd look awful in women's clothing."

Kaddar gave her a playful shove. "You're so mindful of my feelings. I could be completely rude and say you look awful in men's clothing, but then I would be lying." He gave her a wicked look. "After all, you wear my tunics _very _well. And I won't even get started on the way my robe highlights your lovely figure…"

"Oh, stop it," she said, blushing. "Kaddar, do something for me."

"Kally, you _know _I won't tie you up to the bedposts, no matter how much you plead. After all, I don't want to leave rope scars on your delicate little wrists."

"No, you pervert," she snorted. "Explain why Spring Festival is making everybody so _happy. _Is it like Beltane or Midwinter over here?"

"Not exactly," he replied, getting up and stretching luxuriously. "Well, kind of, I guess, now that you mention it. It's the celebration of the renewal of life, and also the birthday of our lovely Graveyard Hag. It's hardly harmonious. Last year, wild hyenas paraded through the streets. It's also an excuse to gamble wildly."

"Oh, wonderful," Kalasin said dryly. "Harmony, the renewal of life, and the Graveyard Hag. That's a rather volatile combination."

"You're telling me," he muttered. "In years past, we've had countless complaints of old crones mysteriously appearing at poker parties and taking every last cent away from the participants. Absolutely lovely. And that's before I get started on how the hyenas went into hysterical, _loud_, convulsions for the entire week. I didn't sleep a wink."

"I weep for you," she replied dryly. "How absolutely tragic. Your skin must have dried from the lack of beauty sleep. Did you have an acne breakout from stress?"

Kaddar rolled his eyes. "Sarcastic witch."

Kalasin smirked at him. "Over-exaggerating drama lover." She rose from the sofa and picked up her favorite comb. It was delicate, made out of ivory, and pearls dotted the handle. The ends of her hair fell past her waist now, and it was getting hard for her to maintain it herself. "Maybe it's time for a haircut," she murmured aloud.

Kaddar reached out and took the comb from her hands. "No, it's not," he protested, beginning to comb her hair out. He would never say it aloud, but Kalasin had the loveliest hair he had ever seen—thick, black, and silky. Touching it was a pleasure; especially since any attention lavished on her beloved mane usually caused Kalasin to purr like a cat. Which she was doing now, making little mumbling sounds of pleasure in the back of her throat.

She knew she was vain, and that vanity was awful and bad. It had been something drilled into her head from a very young age. She just couldn't _help_ it, though…especially not when Kaddar decided to comb her hair. It was something he did once in a while, something that she _really _enjoyed.

Kalasin tilted her head back a little, absentmindedly wondering where she and Kaddar stood. They were lovers, and friends—more, much more then friends, in a way that she couldn't really understand. She thought back to their conversation of a few nights ago, and flinched inwardly, determining not to think about it.

There was one small consolation—if Kaddar knew that she loved him, he wasn't treating her any differently. She had feared that he would be uneasy around her, and that whatever relationship they had would be destroyed. So she didn't mind that nothing had changed between then and now.

But it hurt, just a little, to know that the man she loved probably didn't love her back.

_It doesn't matter, though_, she told herself firmly, as Kaddar parted her hair neatly and re-combed the sides. _He's kind to me and cares about me, he listens to me, and that's all that really matters. _

Kalasin was broken out of her reverie by Kaddar's muttering as he tried to pin her hair properly. "Stop that," she ordered, pulling her head free. She smirked. "Didn't you learn anything from when you used to play with dolls? Never pull a lady's hair and jerk her head from side to side, smart one."

"_I _never played with dolls," he replied with a straight face. "_You _should have. It would have improved your people skills greatly."

"I have good people skills," she sulked. _I've only sprung 'I love you' on an unsuspecting person once, after all. _"I'm charming and gorgeous."

Kaddar got up and stretched, before giving her a smug grin. "Keep telling yourself that, gorgeous one. I'm off to get ready for our last Council meeting before the festival now." And he left, after giving her a rather condescending pat on the head.

Kalasin sighed and hugged herself, feeling suddenly exhausted. Maybe it would be better for them to go back to the way things were before she started to have…feelings for him. Emotions made everything so much more complicated.

And as for dealing with the succession and everything else—it could just be…mutual comfort. No strings attached.

Kalasin knew that this was the easiest way to deal with what she felt. It would be best for both of them, and for the nation. Carthak didn't need a lovesick, unstable Empress.

Her decision was sensible. It was reasonable. And it left a lingering bad feeling in her mind.

--

In the next few days, Kaddar noticed a slight change in Kalasin's behavior. She could be bright and happy, sarcastic and witty, and just plain broody. The moods themselves weren't unusual.

What was unusual was that her bright happiness and witty sarcasm seemed…forced, somehow. It was barely noticeable, and sometimes he wondered if he was just being paranoid. The only emotion that really felt real was her general brooding. When she thought that nobody was looking, she would lapse into silence and stare at things for a while, until her eyes became unfocused.

Kaddar noticed that those moods came on most often at night or when he kissed or touched her. It didn't really do much for his self-esteem, _and _he was losing sleep for worrying. The night before the Spring Festival began, he decided to find out what was going on.

He saw Kalasin sitting on the window seat, her chin resting on her knees. The gardens and the rest of the Palace were extravagantly lit, and she seemed to be admiring them. Kaddar took a deep breath, chastising himself for his nervousness. She was a _woman, _for Mithros' sake. A woman with serious attitude problems. Nothing to be fretting over.

"Hey," he said softly, sitting down next to her.

Kalasin jumped, startled, before relaxing and settling back down. "Hay is for horses," she replied. "Um…don't the lights look beautiful?"

"Oh, they do," he assured. "Nadareh's very pleased with how they turned out, especially that star-shaped one near the fountain over there." He slipped an arm around her waist experimentally, and he felt her twitch a little, but then she leaned against him and tried to pretend nothing happened.

Time to take it to the next step. Kaddar pressed his fingers to her chin, forcing her to look up at him. He didn't know what he expected to see in her eyes, although he feared that she would look at him like a trapped animal. No such thing, however—her eyes were liquid and blue and Kalasin, flickering in the candlelight.

"So…" he said, trailing off and leaning so close that their noses almost touched. "Dinner's over, and we have no work to do. It's only nine-thirty. According to _my _schedule, we have quite a few long hours with absolutely _nothing _to do."

"Nothing?" she asked innocently, and slipped her hands into his with a flirtatious smile. "There's always _something _to do around here."

Kaddar felt his worries vanish. She hadn't turned away or made an excuse to avoid him. Her smile _felt_ real this time. "Oh, really, sweetling? Tell me what we can do to pleasurably while away our time."

Kalasin got up, leading him toward their bedroom with a coquettish look. "I think that it might be better if I _showed _you the many ways to keep entertained during our lonely night hours."

Kalasin yelped as he pulled her into his arms and twirled her around. "That would be absolutely lovely."

In the moment before they fell into bed, Kalasin tightened her arms around his neck, kicked her sandals off, blinked hard to keep herself from crying, and wondered why she was doing this to herself.

---

--

-

This is not the end! I'll just say that the story is going to have about 26 chapters in all, give or take one or two.

Thanks millions to everybody who's reviewed. It makes me so happy. I give a fangirl squee whenever somebody is considerate enough to leave a comment. -smile-


	21. My Happy Ending

**Chapter Twenty-One**

In the early hours of the morning, Kalasin just couldn't sleep.

She was warm, comfortably settled against Kaddar's chest, had enough blankets, and one of his arms was wrapped snugly around her waist. On any other night _before, _she would have been sound asleep before this.

Inhale, exhale. Kaddar's deep, steady breathing ruffled her hair slightly. He turned his head a little, so that the side of his face and his lips brushed her shoulder blades.

Careful not to wake him, Kalasin slid out of bed, groping around for her discarded nightgown. She shivered in the chill of the early morning, her icy feet sinking into the thick, warm carpet. Her nightgown was cool, too, even though the heat of Kaddar's touch and kisses lingered on it. After pulling on her robe over the nightgown, she wandered outside to the balcony. The cold smarted, and she felt her cheeks and nose sting.

Nevertheless, she sat down in her chair, looking out over the gardens. Today was the Spring Festival, and the day looked like it was going to be as festive as the occasion, despite the chill. The palace was going to be excited and bubbly, and there was going to be a huge party this evening. Kalasin wished with all her heart that she could really _enjoy _the celebrations.

He was all that she could think about, lately.

It was ironic, actually. They had hated each other for such a long time after their marriage, and Kalasin had _never _in a million years thought that one day she would fall in love with him. It had just _happened_.

She had been arrogant enough to believe that he had always loved her. And then…well, when he kind of didn't, it had hurt. _Why_ didn't he love her back? All those kissing lessons, the night with the Amoria, the playful teasing about dominant/submissive relationships…

Kalasin buried her head in her arms, feeling her stomach wrench. If she could turn her feelings for him off—or at least change them so that they mirrored his own—she would, without a second thought.

--

Kaddar yawned and reached out on the other side of the bed, blindly searching for Kalasin. His eyes snapped open after a while, finding the bed empty. No Kalasin.

He found that more than a little worrying. She was _always _curled up beside him in the mornings, especially on nights like these, one or more coltish limbs flung across him. Kaddar called a ball of fire to his hand, illuminating the room in orange fire. No Kalasin, no nightgown, and no robe. Of course. She used to do this sometimes, in the early days of their marriage. He hadn't gone looking for her then, but this was completely different.

Predictably, she was huddled on her chair, staring at the pale lavender sky. "Kally," his voice was soft, as he sat down next to her, making the chair creak with the extra weight. "What's wrong? You've been…different…all week. Just tell me."

Kalasin looked up at him. "I think you already know," she said, her voice equally soft. "I love you, Kaddar."

"I…I know." He looked away from her, unable to shake the feeling of guilt that had settled in his chest.

She sighed and turned away. "I love you and it _hurts _so much, because I thought that I could just turn it off, and I _can't._"

Kaddar took her hand in his, trying to pull her closer. "I'm _sorry,_" he apologized. "I'm sorry that it's hurting you, and I'm sorry that you love me. I tried to be awful, you know, and then I tried to be like your friend or older brother. Can I…help?" he asked tentatively, "Help you fix it?"

She laughed a little. "You can slap me or do something so awful I fall out of love. Or you can love me back."

"Kally—"

"I want to go home, Kaddar."

The emperor stared, not sure whether he had heard right. "You want to _what? _You want me to let you go?" His voice rose on the last question, and she grabbed his hand, looking at him pleadingly.

"Not like that. Not permanently. Shinko and Roald are going to have their child in two months. I haven't seen my family in almost a year. I've never even met my sister-in-law. _Please, _let me go. I need to…sort myself out after…" _after I messed myself up over you. _

Kaddar looked down at the floor, determined for her not to see the sudden hurt in his eyes. Home. She wanted to go _home. _And she had just begun to call _Carthak_ home. Not any more, it seemed. "Very well, empress." His voice didn't seem like his own. "You can go for as long as you want."

_Please don't leave me. _

"I'll ask Zaimid to make the arrangements. He has connections."

She nodded, dry-eyed, and stood up. "Thank you…" she hesitated. "Just, thank you."

With that, she left him alone on the balcony. Kaddar buried his head in his hands, and wondered _when _he had begun to make everything spin out of control.

--

The day of Kalasin's departure was clear and beautiful. The ship was almost ready to leave, its sails billowing in the crisp breeze. The water was calm, light turquoise waves lapping at the ship. Seagulls wheeled and dipped overhead, looking for food to scavenge.

Kalasin flicked her fan open, fanning herself delicately. It was a dark blue fan, embroidered with gold and silver designs threading through the borders. One flick, two flick.

"Departure in five minutes!"

The call rang through the docks, and Kalasin turned to Kaddar. "I think I had better board now, then." She fought to keep her voice steady, but it quavered a little bit.

"I'll walk you over."

They went to stand by the plank, watching the last of the cargo board the ship. "Um. So. This is goodbye?" she asked.

"I guess so."

Neither of them moved.

"Departure in two minutes! Make sure the cherry trees and the ostriches are _safely strapped down_!"

"Kaddar—"

Completely ignoring her, he kissed the top of her head. "May Mithros and the Goddess be with you on your journey," he said formally. And then, for the first time since their fight, he pulled her into his arms for a tight embrace. "I can't let you go without telling you, no matter what happened between us in the past month--stay safe, don't do anything dangerous, have fun, don't think of me, enjoy yourself, bring back a puppy, stay away from cats or else you'll have an allergic reaction, eat potatoes and Northern food while you can, _come back soon—_"

"I will," she murmured, hugging him back, feeling slightly overwhelmed and trying not to cry. It had been a _long _time since they had touched or talked to one another on a personal level. "Take care of yourself."

"Last call for boarding!"

Kaddar caught her to him for the first kiss they had shared in a month, before she ran up the plank. After disappearing for a moment, he caught sight of her waving at him from the deck, smiling as the boat began to drift away.

A very sudden thought popped into his head, and this time he didn't even stop to think about it, or to argue the rationality of something like this…but he couldn't let her go without knowing. He had caused her enough pain already, and the least he could do was to make sure that she could whole-heartedly enjoy her time in Tortall.

"I love you, Kalasin!"

The empress almost fell over the rail, her expression one of complete shock, disbelief, and then amazement. After she had managed to control her surprise, she laughed—again, for the first time in a month—and blew him a kiss.

Kaddar watched until the boat disappeared over the horizon, before turning around and beginning the trek back to the palace contentedly.

Maybe there _were_ such things as happy endings, after all.

---

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Still not the end!

Thank you so much to everybody who's reviewed. I love you guys. -hearts-


	22. Return

**Note: **Oh, argh, I am _so _sorry for the lack of updates. The epilogues for this fic are doing some _really _funky things and demanding more chapters. You know you're far gone when you listen to what Kalasin and Kaddar say, instead of your own common sense. –smile-

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Pathetic as it might sound, Emperor Kaddar was pining.

Kalasin had left him. She was frolicking in Tortall, while he was suffering over here. He wouldn't admit it easily, but he was _missing _her. He missed her advice, he missed her laughter, and he missed teasing her about the bearskin rug.

But above all, he missed having somebody to cuddle with.

Okay, fine, they _hadn't _slept in the same bed most of the time in the month before Kalasin's departure. He had left her alone, actually, but he had still known that she was _there. _And before their fight, he had been used to using her as an armrest, or a pillow, or just having the soft warmth of her _near _him.

After a few days of a depressingly Kalasin-less sleep, he was reduced to something he hadn't done for a very long time. He woke up in the middle of the night and captured Kalasin's pillow, inhaling it deeply. The faint scent of her hair still clung to the fabric. An idea, an _ingenious _idea, struck him.

Kaddar dragged the pillow to their bathroom, blinking hard at the shock of turning the bright lights on. Feeling faintly ridiculous, he rummaged through the articles that Kalasin had left behind. There was jewelry, and scarves, handkerchiefs, little silk flowers, more jewelry, creams, yet more jewelry, facial care, hair care, combs, perfume…ah, perfume. About twenty half-used perfume bottles in more scents than he knew existed.

Hmm. Kaddar picked up one bottle in particular and sniffed it delicately. Lime and coconut. Ah, yes, that was definitely Kalasin.

He spritzed the perfume all over the pillowcase, before holding it an arm's length away and admiring the effects. It was as Kalasin as a soft pillow with a dark red silk pillowcase could be. At least the dark red silk part was accurate.

After carrying the pillow-Kalasin back to bed, he flopped down on his pillow with a yawn, cuddling his makeshift Kalasin close. It _was _a pretty good substitute.

Kaddar kissed the side of the pillow, brushing his fingers against its imaginary long hair. "Sweet dreams, Kally. Come back soon."

--

Two and a half months passed quickly for Kalasin in Tortall, and extremely, _extremely _slowly for Kaddar in Carthak. Kalasin was by no means pining and using pillows as Kaddar substitutes, but she still missed him.

Little Vania had asked once if "Kally loved her lord like Mama loved Papa," and Kalasin had laughed, "Yes, of course, Vania. Loving somebody like that is…wonderful," she had told the wide-eyed young girl. "If you love the person you marry, it's one of the best things that can happen to you."

Thinking about what she had said, Kalasin blushed. She loved Kaddar, and he loved her back. The adrenaline rush that came from that knowledge was still absolutely thrilling.

She and Shinkokami had become fast friends, and Kalasin was glad to see that her brother and Shinko were happy together. And good for them—their relationship wasn't nearly as turbulent as hers and Kaddar's. Shinkokami and Roald's daughter Lianokami was born in mid-May, much to the rejoicing of the royal family and all of Tortall.

Kalasin discovered that she loved tending to the baby, which led to her mother's, Buri's, Alanna's, Lianne's, Cythera's and generally _everybody's _teasing about when the Iliniats would be expecting an addition to the two-person Imperial family.

When it was time to leave at the beginning of August, it had hurt less than Kalasin had expected it to. She would miss staying up late and talking to Shinko and Lianne, going out riding with Roald, taking care of Lianokami, and being around her family and the places that she had grown up at.

She knew what her mother had said was right, though. Kalasin was Empress, and she had a duty to her husband and her people. And that duty didn't consist of staying in Tortall all year.

With that thought, she climbed onto her ship and waved a tearful good-bye to her friends and family, feeling a mixed up sense of déjà vu. But then again, the last time she had done this, she'd been angry, upset, lonely, and frightened. This time, she was none of those. She knew what awaited her. Zaimid and his declarations of undying love, Kaddar and his…Kaddar-ness, and the councilors and their not-too-discreet inquiries about whether any heirs were on the horizon.

And there was also the fact that Varice had tricked her into preparing half of the Beltane feast with her. Hard times. Hard times.

Kalasin went belowdecks for shelter from the heat of the sun, deciding to consult Varice's cookbook. She still had no idea on how to batter eggs. Like anybody could do something crazy like that.

--

Her arrival at the port at Carthak City was depressingly ceremonial and formal. There were speeches and welcomes to the new ambassadors from Tortall, and for their returning Empress.

Kaddar was scrutinizing her, from where he sat further back. She looked happy, healthy, and pretty. When he stood up to make his welcoming speech to the Tortallan delegation, she gave him a flirtatious wave and a coquettish smile in the middle of how much he valued their alliance to Tortall, which temporarily caused him to lose the capability for speech.

When it was time for them to greet each other while observing all the formalities, Kalasin curtseyed exactly as low as required and smirked at him when she rose. She gave him a very plain _kiss me _look, and Kaddar had to stifle the urge to nip her chin while giving her the traditional kiss to the forehead and one to each cheek. "Welcome back, my lady," he said formally, and truthfully. "Carthak and I have sorely missed your presence."

"I am truly glad to be back, my lord," was her equally formal reply. The entire ritual would have been easier for him to go through if she hadn't been giving him the _kiss me _look for the whole two hours. He compensated by _accidentally_ brushing his arm across places that made her gasp, at least five times during the entire procession to the Imperial Palace. The city was decorated for Beltane, and Kalasin gaped the whole way. When Carthak celebrated, they celebrated in _style. _

"Obviously, our refined culture overwhelms the simple comprehension of your Northern mind." Kaddar whispered wickedly. "Don't you think?"

"You're right," Kalasin whispered back. "The only thing my simplistic, barbaric Northern mind can focus on right now is you. And how much pain you are going to be in when we get to our rooms."

Kaddar nudged her foot with his. "You know what they say. The best kind of love hurts."

Kalasin giggled suddenly, earning a collection of strange looks from the assorted noblemen around her, and Kaddar shook his head, amused. "You're a spectacular victim," he told her quietly. "Even though you don't beg for mercy."

"Oh, I beg," she murmured, adjusting her veil demurely. "In the proper circumstances."

Kaddar suddenly found himself wondering exactly _how _early they could tear themselves away from the Beltane celebrations without violating etiquette.

--

"Mmmph, I _missed _you too," Kalasin murmured, pulling away from Kaddar's embrace for a minute. "Easy on the laces. If you rip my dress, Rhiya will kill you."

"Stop it. You're ruining the mood," Kaddar captured her lips with his again, and finally managed to get her out of her dress. And then he was faced with the challenges of a full slip and a corset. He groaned aloud. "You know, nobody would _ever _try an attempt on your virtue, what with all these layers."

Kalasin laughed, pushing him away. "Let me do it. So, how did you manage by yourself? Did you pine too badly?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said evasively, watching her unlace her corset, memorizing each movement of her fingers for future reference. "I did not pine."

The corset was thrown unceremoniously into a corner. "Oh? I'm shocked. Your letters sounded _so_ lonely." Kalasin pulled the pins out of her hair, shaking it free from its elaborate style. She walked over to the other side of the bed and flopped down on her stomach, inhaling the covers happily and teasing him with her low neckline. "It's nice to be back."

Kaddar sat down near her, watching the candlelight play against the warm colors of their bedchamber. "It's nice to have you back. Now, are you going to play hard to get all night?"

He yelped as she unceremoniously tackled him, knocking him over onto his back. "Maybe."

Kaddar wrapped both arms around her waist. "You know, since we left the feast at only nine-thirty, we need to properly get into the Beltane spirit, don't you think?"

Kalasin rested her elbows on his shoulders, giving him a mischievous look. "After all, this _is _the celebration of all kinds of love, courtly and illicit alike. We're courtly, right?"

"Unless you're secretly married to the King of Scanra and are just using me as your paramour, then yes. We're definitely courtly."

"I'm sure that's not true. You're much more handsome." she said, wrapping her arms around his neck playfully.

Kaddar turned both of them over on his side and kissed the tip of her nose, his dark eyes shining with affection and desire. "Oh, really?"

"I'll prove it." With that, she pulled him in for a passionate kiss that left him more than a little winded.

"Wait up," he gasped, after she let him go. He leaned over and rummaged in a few drawers, pulling out a feather duster. "Now, get a blanket and a couple of pillows and follow me."

Kalasin's eyes grew to the size of small full moons. "You _aren't _serious—"

"Okay, fine, we'll only use one pillow. Happy now, my experimental one?"

"I can't believe it—this was in the Art of Romance, not—"

"_Kally," _he sighed. "You're never going to get over your fascination with that rug if we don't do this. You can't say that you don't want to, because I _know _you do."

"Very well, then," Kalasin mumbled, blushing hotly, following them into their study and kneeling on the bearskin rug. A fire had warmed the fur, which tickled her palms, and she had to resist the temptation to flop down and roll around on it. "You _really _know how to plan a homecoming. And the fire is a nice touch."

"I even moved the desk out of the way, so that neither of us would hit our heads," he grinned, sitting down on the rug. "Now, come here and thank me properly, beloved."

And she did.

---

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	23. Shock

**Note: **You'll love this one.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

In the next two months, things quieted down in the Imperial Palace. The Emperor and Empress celebrated their first anniversary, and one of Kaddar's gifts to his wife was a luxurious blanket of sable fur, more than big enough for two, given with a mischievous grin. The sable blanket was joyfully experimented with that night, and Kalasin deemed it one of the best gifts she had ever been given.

Foreign ambassadors were staying away from Carthak for reasons unknown, not that Kaddar or Kalasin were complaining. All-important Council decisions had been made, and the summer became an unofficial vacation. Kalasin was learning how to cook, and Kaddar had taken up the admittedly risky job of sampling her dishes.

One afternoon, she and Varice were discussing how to make red velvet cake. "…And we'll finish by adding a little bit of red wine to it, just for fun," Varice completed. "Does that sound all right? We tried vanilla, strawberry, lemon, and coconut before, and this is the only one left."

Kalasin nodded, surveying the ingredients. "Sounds perfect to me. Varice, a favor?"

"Mmm?"

"Could you do anything involving eggs and red wine for me? I'm not being lazy or anything," she said hastily, "but lately, I've been feeling a bit _off _whenever I smell any of the two."

Varice frowned. "Of course. It's a bit strange, though—you didn't have a problem with it before? Is it smell or taste?"

"I don't think so," she said thoughtfully. "I think it's the smell. It makes me…nauseous, somehow. Either that, or I get a headache."

"Oh, Goddess. I hope you don't have the stomach flu, Kally."

Kalasin wrinkled her nose. "I hope not, too. I'm not going to ruin my vacation by getting horribly sick."

"Hmm. Go to Nadi, and ask her if you are. I might be wrong, you know, but if I'm right and we catch the sickness in its early stages, it'll be easier to treat."

"But…the cake…"

Varice grinned, pushing a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear. "I'll take care of the cake, Kally. I won't have you spreading germs to everything in the kitchen, anyway. Out with you."

Kalasin made a face, deserting the kitchens and their delicious dessert-smells. Wandering the hallways absentmindedly, she noted the lack of people in the palace. Everybody had retreated to their summer estates in cooler places. She made a note to tell Kaddar that it was time they visited Radzyn again, and soon.

She knocked on the solid wood door of Nadi's office, feeling a little bit nervous. It was truly ridiculous, since she was a healer herself, but she disliked medical visits with a passion. At least Nadi was her friend. The chief Healer at the Tortallan University had frightened Kalasin greatly.

The door opened a little, and Nadi poked her head through. There was a huge blot of ink on her nose, and she blinked a few times before recognition hit. "Kally! This is a surprise. Come in." The door swung open, and Kalasin trotted in. Nadi's office was immaculate, as always, belying her somewhat ink-blotched appearance. "So, what's going on with my favorite little sister?"

Kalasin sniffed, and looked down the inch separating her from Nadi. "Not so little, might I remind you."

"Ouch," she winced, but then grinned, unable to remain serious for long. "All right, Almighty Imperial One. Point taken. Sit down and tell me your troubles."

The empress sat, admiring the bright, airy office. A silky blue tapestry fluttered in the slight breeze let in by the open window. "What makes you think I'm having troubles?"

"Because people only go to a healer when they're having troubles," was the succinct reply. "When you're not having troubles, you always visit me after hours."

"Okay, fine, All-Seeing One," snorted Kalasin. "What troubles am I having today?"

"Schizophrenia?"

"You sound like Kaddar," said Kalasin with a frown.

Nadi gave her the quill-through-the-heart look. "That was completely uncalled for. Comparing me to my little brother? I'm heartbroken. I thought you _liked _me, cruel Kalasin."

Pouting, Kalasin tilted her head appealingly. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Now, can you fix me?"

"Very well. What's wrong?"

Kalasin outlined her symptoms, and Nadi furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully. "I doubt it's the stomach flu, not with you reacting to only two things so far. Unless…"

"Unless?"

"Unless you're developing an allergic reaction to eggs and red wine. Which would be rather upsetting, especially as it's not as much fun to get drunk on Scanran vodka as it is with Gallan wine. Would you go and sit on the table over there? I'm going to test you with my Gift."

Kalasin gave her most world-weary sigh as she walked over to the table, flopping down on it unceremoniously. She dangled her legs while waiting for Nadi, feeling like a little girl again. Nadi caught sight of her expression, and laughed. "You like you're about to receive a death sentence. Don't fret, Kally, I'll give you a piece of chocolate if you get through this without too many tears."

Kalasin made a face, but remained still as Nadi approached her, her palm glowing with the red-orange fire of her Gift. "This may be a little uncomfortable." With that, she put her hand on the top of Kalasin's head, and the empress shuddered. _A little uncomfortable _was an understatement. Nadi's Gift felt refreshingly cool, but it seemed to _trickle _through her entire body. It relaxed her aching back and feet, and rejuvenated fingers tired from being in the kitchens for so long. And then, the cool fire that soothed her body began to _change. _

The center of her body was beginning to heat up, almost making her sweat. The warmth traveled away from her chest gradually and centered in her stomach, so that it felt like she had eaten a peck of pickled peppers. "Ow! That _hurts_!"

Nadi pulled her hand away from Kalasin quickly, realization beginning to dawn on her face. The fiery heat was gone, but Kalasin's stomach still felt uncomfortably warm. "What is it?" she demanded, seeing the look on Nadi's face. "What's wrong with my stomach? Do I have the stomach flu? Am I not eating enough spicy food? Am I eating too much spicy food? Am I _dying_?"

Much to Kalasin's chagrin, Nadi began to laugh. "Oh, Goddess, no, you're not dying!" She tried to switch to a serious tone, but spoiled it by giggling in the middle of her sentence. "Empress Kalasin, I would like to be the first to congratulate you on your new child."

Kalasin stared.

Nadi found this even more amusing. "Kally. You're pregnant!"

It took Kalasin a few more minutes to recover the capabilities of speech. Pregnant? Her? She and Kaddar were going to…have a baby? Like Lianokami, except _theirs_? A child. A _heir. _

"Oh," she managed to squeak out. She hugged herself tight, trying to make sense of the thousands of confused thoughts swirling around inside her. "A baby. What are we going to name a baby? It's not like naming the palace cat, you know…"

Nadi grinned at her brightly. "I always thought Kallydar had a nice ring to it. Kally and Kaddar. And it can be a male _or _a female name. Princess Kallydar, you can make it Kallydara if you want, or Prince Kallydar. Or Kaddarasin. Aren't I a genius?"

Kalasin felt like laughing. So she did, collapsing in a fit of giggles.

The other woman rolled her eyes. "You've known for less than five minutes, and already you're reminding me of Nadareh when _she _was pregnant." She helped Kalasin off the table, and then hugged her close. "I'm so happy for you, darling. Aren't you looking forward to putting some of those nosy councilors in their place, next time they ask about an heir?"

Kalasin nodded, running her fingers through her hair with a slightly dazed smile. "I can hardly believe it. How am I going to tell Kaddar?" she demanded suddenly, for the thought had just dawned on her. "I can't just pounce on him and yell that we're having a little Kallydara or Kaddarasin, can I?"

"Oh…" Nadi hesitated. "Just…make sure that he isn't drinking anything at the time. You might want to sit him down first. Or rather, don't. If he faints, I'd love to remind him—and Kallydara, and Kaddarasin, and _their _children—and the rest of our family about his reaction to the news."

Kalasin smiled, nevertheless feeling a little nervous. "All right, then. Thanks, Nadi."

Nadi watched her sister-by-marriage leave, feeling a little envious of her happiness. She would never really know what it would feel like. She closed the door with a sigh, and immediately felt guilty afterwards. She would _never _trade what she had with Varice for anything, not even the joy of having her own child.

--

On the day of October seventeenth, 463, Kaddar had no idea about how drastically his life was about to change. The only thing he knew was that he _was_ going to _murder _all of his councilors, and blame it on Zaimid. He didn't know he would do it, or when. All he knew was that if they were gone, his life would be a lot easier.

He wanted wine. Or water with lemon and cucumber slices. Something _cold. _

After dragging himself up to their room, Kaddar collapsed on the sofa, feeling half-dead. If he died before he was going to murder his councilors, he decided that he was going to leave everything to Kally. Pretty Kally. How would she survive without him? Zaimid would bewitch her into marrying him, and then his spirit would cry. And Kally would, too. Anybody who was married to Zaimid would cry. A lot.

He closed his eyes for a while. When he opened them, he marveled at the fact that he wasn't dead. Kalasin stood above him, looking a little apprehensive. As soon as she saw his eyes open, she quickly schooled her expression into one of less apprehension. "Hello, Kaddar. You look…dead. Dying, actually."

"I know," he winced, sitting up. "My shoulders _ache._ First Council meeting in an age, and here I was hoping that they had mellowed out after a couple of months of blissful nothingness. Did I mention my shoulders ache?"

"Subtle," she replied dryly, moving to stand behind him. She started to knead at his shoulders, and he sighed in relief as he felt the relaxing warmth of her Gift on his aching muscles.

"Kally, we should run away from this," he said, sounding depressed, and then he brightened up. "We're going to elope. To Sarain!"

Kalasin rubbed the base of his shoulder blades, and was rewarded with a pleased-sounding purr. "We can't elope. We're already married."

He tilted his head back and kissed her wrist. "Mmm. You have a point."

Impulsively, she leaned down and hugged him from behind, stifling the urge to squeak out at the sudden ache in her chest as it pressed against the back of the sofa. "I was going to ask you for a vacation at Radzyn, you know," she mumbled against his hair.

Kaddar tugged on her hand insistently and drew her around to his side of the sofa. "But?" he prompted, having a sudden flash of perception. When it came to politics and diplomacy, he was perceptive all the time. When it came to Kalasin, he was rather obdurate. These moments of perception were few and far between, and one had just hit him now. "What happened? Anything drastic? Something I should know?"

Kalasin fidgeted. He had put her on the spot, and she didn't like that. It was one thing when she was trying to explain to him that she hadn't _meant _to get drunk at that one party and compare him to a meek kitten in front of, oh, _all_ of his sisters and female cousins.

It was a whole different story when she was trying to explain to him that she was pregnant. And it didn't help that he was _staring _at her.

"Hello, Kally? Is it something embarrassing? Or," a seemingly bright idea struck him. "Can you fit into that robe now? Better yet, did you get one in red?"

Needless to say, Kaddar's perceptive moments regarding Kalasin and her motives were few and far between. And briefly lasting, at that.

Kalasin buried her head in her hands. She was going to crack. She _felt _it. No. No, she was going to be strong. A few seconds passed.

"Oh Kaddar, we're going to have a little Kallydara or Kaddarasin and I don't know what to _do_ because they're so small and tiny and they're going to be _ours _but first I have to have them and I don't know _how _to have children and then we have to raise them and I forgot we have to _name _them, too—"

For his part, Kaddar didn't completely lose it. He registered the words _we're going to have a _and then Kallydara and Kaddarasin completely slipped over his head. Then there came _tiny _and _ours _and _have them, _followed by _children, _and everything clicked into place.

Kalasin was still babbling on about whether their future child would be made fun of because Kaddarasin was such an unconventional name, and then which Gift and eye color was dominant over the other.

Kaddar reached out and gripped her wrists lightly. "Kalasin. Shh. Stop talking. There is _no need _to worry about Gifts and eye colors now."

She blinked at him. "But—"

He pulled her into his arms, still feeling shocked. "Slow down a bit. When did you find out, and who are Kallydara and Kaddarasin?"

"This afternoon. They're our future children's names, courtesy of Nadi. Kallydara for Kally and Kaddar, and Kaddarasin for Kaddar and Kalasin."

"Adorable," he said softly, nuzzling her ear. "This was a huge surprise, you know."

"Are you happy?"

The emperor snorted, and hugged her very gently, as if she was fragile glass that might break—a huge change from his usual rib-crushing embraces. "Of course I'm happy. I mean—wow. I didn't expect this, but…" he trailed off and was silent for a few moments. "I think brown eyes are dominant over blue."

Kalasin smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. He was happy, and pleased with her. "I hope they aren't," she muttered. "You know what I'm looking forward to?"

"Telling all the councilors," he said with relish. "Name a heir, name a heir or the country will fall apart and everybody will _die _and it'll be all your fault, my foot. Let's milk it to the fullest. Say that we're having the best little Kaddarasin or Kallydara ever, no thanks to the pressure they put on us."

"So, we're going to tell people? Who first?"

"My mother, probably. She'll probably pinch your cheeks and tell me to be nice to you and obey your every whim. It's best to get that over with first." He grinned at her. "Should we skip around and yell it from the rooftops? Put the palace gossips in their places?"

Kalasin began to giggle. "I'd love to!"

They lapsed into silence after a while. "I love you, Kally," he said at last. "I hope Kallydara looks exactly like you, blue eyes or not."

The empress blushed, ducking her head a little. "Thank you. And, Kaddar?"

"Mmm?"

"…Um. Anything sweet. Do you have any? I keep having these inexplicable cravings for it."

Something told Kaddar that in the next seven months, chocolate imports from Siraj were going to increase. Times ten.

---

--

-

-giggles- Kallydar spawn!

And, by the way, Nadi's suggestions of Kallydara and Kaddarasin are my little in-jokes for those of you on the Dove, because Kallydar is my convenient little pairing-name for Kalasin and Kaddar. -grin-


	24. Ever After

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

The months were passing quickly and slowly at once, in a haze of golden autumn and one of Carthak's mildest winters. Spring brought a plentiful fruit harvest, thanks to two weeks straight of rain, which had been welcomed by the entire country.

Meanwhile, congratulations (and gifts of chocolate and watermelon) arrived from the rest of the world. Foreign affairs were all right, aside from the tumult in the Copper Isles and the pesky rebels that _insisted _on little raids on their western coastline, despite being crushed several times by the navy. The rest of the world was calming down, thanks to the approaching end of the Tortallan-Scanran war. Even their councilors were mellowing out. Just the other day, Kaddar and Kalasin had spotted Duke Samjan, Lord Sanjit, and the Baron of Singh prancing around the gardens with bouquets of daffodils.

There was one issue to be resolved, which was plaguing Kalasin and Kaddar more than their previous issues with Galla and Tyra combined.

Names.

"Honestly, at seven and a half months, we can't keep calling them Kallydara and Kaddarasin, you know," Kalasin sounded definitely irritable, through her slice of watermelon.

"Kally, you're eating all the watermelon. Save some for me." With that, Kaddar grabbed one of the pieces and lounged back against the trunk of the tree. "And we're only calling them—her—him—it—Kallydara and—or—argh Kaddarasin because we can't think of anything else. We should just give up."

Kalasin dropped her rind back onto the plate, disheartened, and placed one hand on her stomach, feeling a light flutter. It seemed like the baby wanted a say in its own name. _Sorry, little one, but that's not the way things work out, _she thought. "Kaddar, what if we choose a name and it hates it?"

Kaddar scoffed, sniffing a rose, and then tickling the side of her neck with it. "That's ridiculous. Babies can't dislike their own names. And by the time it grows up, it'll be used to it."

She gave him a skeptical look. "Not true. In my early teenage years, I hated the thought of being named after a woman who had thrown herself off a tower. Anyway, I guess we have to make two separate lists. One for a boy, and one for a girl."

Furrowing his brow in thought, Kaddar considered it for a few moments. "For a girl, um, Kalahari."

"Kalahari? That's an unusual name. Isn't it a desert?"

He fidgeted a little. "No. It's…well, part of the scientific name for the golden-amber desert rose. Please don't ask me how I know that."

"Kalahari Iliniat. Princess Kalahari." Kalasin tested the sounds, sniffing an orange blossom absentmindedly. "I like it, you know. It's pretty."

"I thought it would be fitting. After all, her name will sound a little like both of ours."

The baby kicked, and Kalasin winced a little. "Ouch. Yes, I'm all right," she assured an anxious looking Kaddar. "I think it's a lovely name for our daughter," she said decisively. "About boys?"

"Zaimid is out, as is Raj—"

"And Jonathan, and Roald," Kalasin completed with a smile. "They're not Carthaki enough for the heir to the Empire. So no Tortallan names for this one, at least."

Kaddar sighed. "I can't think of any good names. Naming a boy after a flower wouldn't do. I—don't want to name him after my father…honoring the lost aside, it would hurt too much." Kalasin rubbed his hand sympathetically, and he went on. "All the names of our male ancestors are either overused, antiquated, bring back bad memories for the people, or are just plain _ugly." _

Kalasin dug deep into her mind, and went back a few years to her time at King's Reach, learning how to be Empress. A sudden idea struck her. "Kaddar—the magic inherited from your mother's side of the family was primarily war magic, right?"

The emperor nodded. "There were a few roots of it from my father's side, too, but I don't know how they got lost in Nadi and I. Nadareh has a few traces of it, though."

"Excellent!" Kalasin exclaimed, and the baby gave a similar twitch of excitement inside her. "We'll consider the names of famous war mages!"

Kaddar frowned a little. "Most of our war mages were _infamous, _though…let me think about it." He tried to remember his classes at the University, and the lectures from great-aunt Parvati. He was beginning to wish that he had paid more attention, instead of trying to make a dandelion grow on Zaimid's head during those lectures. The only thing that he even slightly recalled was a distant female relative of his, many generations ago. She had been a famous war mage during the rule of Emperor Zekoi, and had married his younger brother, the war mage and prince instrumental to unifying the states of Zallara and Yamut…

"Elissar! That's it!"

Kalasin jumped a little, startled. "Don't do that. And who's Elissar?"

Kaddar outlined the remembered history lesson to her, and she sat back, amazed. "I never thought I'd be saying this, but thank the gods for great-aunt Parvati! I think Elissar is fabulous. A positive historical figure, a unique name, and Prince Elissar sounds great."

"Are we settled, then? Kalahari for a girl, and Elissar for a boy?"

"Of course," she said contentedly, eyeing the plate of watermelon. There was one slice left. Then she eyed Kaddar, who was also eyeing the watermelon. On any other day, she would have knocked him over, sat on his chest, and then eaten the watermelon in front of him. Then she remembered that pregnant women weren't supposed to do such things. And besides, Princess Fazia had said that peace and quiet during pregnancy would lead to a peaceful, quiet child. Which would definitely be good.

Kaddar eyed his wife discreetly, while appearing to eye the watermelon. Should he risk swooping in for the slice? Or would it be too much of a risk? Somewhere inside his mind, his father sighed. _Kaddar. I cannot believe you are even considering snatching a slice of watermelon away from a pregnant woman. I thought that you had more wisdom than that. _

Silently cursing his conscience, he pushed the watermelon toward Kalasin. "Go ahead, eat."

Kalasin blinked. He was _telling _her to eat it. Before, she would have declined, because fighting a man for a piece of watermelon was more honorable than eating a slice of watermelon offered out of pity. But things had changed. Honestly, this baby was wreaking havoc with her mind. But Kalasin picked up the watermelon and scarfed it, not even caring about whether she looked like a pig or not.

"Mmmph," she said, definitely satisfied. They leaned back together, and sighed simultaneously. Kalasin touched her stomach again, closing her eyes. She was _nervous _about having the baby, and yet she wanted to have it already and hold it and cuddle it, and see if it was going to be a Kalahari or an Elissar. Whose eyes and hair and nose and Gift it would have.

It was too bad that she'd actually have to physically _have _it before holding it in her arms. Great-uncle Gareth and her mother had told her not to worry, because women from their family gave birth easily. It didn't change the fact that she was still worrying about it any time that she wasn't actively doing something else.

"Kally?"

"Hmm?" She cracked her eyes open, and found Kaddar peering at her.

"May I touch?"

For a second she didn't know what he was talking about, but then she blushed slightly as she figured it out. He didn't ask to touch the baby a lot. She took his hand and guided it to where Elissar or Kalahari loved to kick, and his eyes widened. Bending over, he kissed the baby through her gown and skin. When he looked up at her, she tried to look happy.

Not fooled, he squeezed her hand. "You're frightened."

Kalasin nodded. "Yes. I am." It felt good to admit it to somebody, even if that somebody was probably more nervous than she was.

Kaddar was quiet for a few moments, smoothing her hair. "Kally, you'll be all right. I know you will."

"I hurt just thinking about it," she muttered against his shoulder. "I'm scared and I want it to be over with."

He kissed the top of her head, deciding not to tell her that _he _worried about her more than _she_ worried about _herself_. He didn't know quite what to say. Finally, he settled with pulling her close and giving her a lingering kiss. "Please, don't stress over this," he told her quietly. "Relax. And…what will come will come, I guess. And I know that we'll get through it all right."

Kalasin smiled up at him, feeling a little bit better. "Thank you. And _please_ don't fret over me. If you say I'm going to be all right, then maybe I will be."

"Of course."

--

Despite his words of two months ago, Kaddar Iliniat was fretting. No, fretting wasn't accurate enough. He had probably paced a track outside of their entire suite of rooms, ripped out at least an inch of his hair, and thrown about three stacks of parchment and one inkwell. The past five and a half hours had been _torture. _Complete and utter _torture. _

He had no idea about what was happening to Kalasin, and that was the worst torture ever. No word, _nothing. _

Zaimid appeared out of nowhere, and pulled him down onto the sofa. "Kaddar. _Calm down._"

Kaddar closed his eyes and collapsed onto the sofa and Zaimid. "Oh, Mithros, I hope she's all right. What if she's not all right? What's going to happen to her? You're the healer here! Tell me!"

The other healer gave a little squished sound, cradling his cousin in his lap. "Look, Kaddar, I don't know. Let's just assume that she's doing fine. They would _tell _you if she wasn't, wouldn't they?"

Kaddar closed his eyes, feeling his head pound and noticed for the first time an ache in his chest. "Kalasin's strong," he managed at last. "Strong and athletic. She'll manage. Won't she?"

"Of course," Zaimid soothed. He gave Kaddar a light headbutt. "Have faith in her."

"You're worried about her too, aren't you?"

He inclined his head silently. "I am. I really care for her, you know."

"I know."

They were both silent, and Kaddar rested his head against Zaimid's shoulder. Neither of them had slept for a long time, and within a few minutes the exhaustion, stress, and worry took its toll on the emperor.

Kaddar had fallen into a fitful sleep, tossing and turning. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he looked rather as if he was having a nightmare. Zaimid considered waking him up to put him out of his misery, but then he realized that sleep was probably something that Kaddar needed.

He rested his head against Kaddar's, closed his eyes, and dreamed.

It wasn't very clear in details, but he saw everything that mattered. Kalasin, Kaddar, and…four others. A ten-year-old boy, a girl who looked about seven or eight, and two more boys, three-year-olds who looked exactly alike. Zaimid caught his breath when he realized who the others were, and when he woke up, he knew everything was going to be all right.

It was the most unsettling thing he had ever experienced. He struggled against sleep, wanting to wake Kaddar and tell him that Kally was going to live through this, and that there would be more, and not to worry…

He stared at Kaddar, plucking at his sleeve. His cousin stirred faintly, looking up at him with eyes blurred with sleep. "Zaimid…what happened…"

"Kaddar, you'll never believe it, I…I…saw Kalasin and you and…" Suddenly he couldn't remember what he was trying to say. His eyes unfocused, and he slumped on top of Kaddar, feeling the world go black.

--

Kaddar woke up to somebody shaking him roughly. "Kaddar! Kaddar, I don't _care _if you're royalty, you awful snot of a little brother, get up!"

"Argh!" He registered the form of Nadi, and jumped off of the couch. "What happened? Kalasin?"

Nadi dragged him out of the waiting room roughly. "…Been trying to wake you up for the past five minutes, and I find you and Zaimid spooned together, sound asleep…he was born perfectly healthy, even though things had gotten a little worrying earlier…"

"He? _What? _We have an Elissar?" Kaddar's mind was in a tumult, and he couldn't think or see straight. "And Kally? How's Kally?"

"Kally is fine."

Her voice was tired, but she smiled up at him, looking pale and exhausted. "Kaddar, you won't believe it…Elissar…"

Kaddar almost fainted in relief. He knelt by the bedside and kissed his wife soundly. "Oh, Kally, you're all right…I love you a _lot, _did I ever tell you that?"

Kalasin gave a little sound of pain, and he realized that he was holding her hand so tight that it had probably bruised, and let go, giving her an apologetic look. "I love you, too." Her eyelids fluttered. "You want to see Elissar. He's perfect. Wonderful. Everything I thought he would be."

Nadareh brought something small and bundled in a dark blue blanket into the early-morning dark room. "Your Imperial Majesties…I would like to present Prince Elissar Iliniat."

Both Kalasin and Kaddar stretched out their arms in unison. Nadareh looked from one to the other, and sighed. "Should've had twins, in situations like this. Kally gets the baby first," she told her brother. "_She_ had to suffer through almost seven hours of labor for him. While you and Zaimid, I hear, spent some quality bonding time together."

Kalasin accepted Elissar in her arms, feeling more than a little awed. He was so _tiny. _A layer of fuzzy black down covered his head. When he opened his eyes, she almost squealed in sheer glee. They _were _Kaddar's dark eyes, but they were so big and wide and innocent, with long, curling black eyelashes. Elissar moved his arm feebly, waving a little hand near the collar of Kalasin's shift.

"He's adorable, isn't he?" she asked Kaddar after kissing the baby on the forehead, who nodded, looking completely speechless.

"Absolutely. He has your nose, you know. And ears, thankfully." Kaddar reached out, tickling Elissar gently. The baby stared up at him, looking rather surprised, as both of his parents beamed at him, and then when his father kissed his mother on the forehead. "Kally…I'm so glad…" he felt his throat tighten, and he determined _not _to cry.

She nuzzled against his cheek for a moment, and then the door banged open, and a rather disheveled Zaimid staggered in. He stared from Kally, to Kaddar, to Elissar, and back again. And then he tilted his head to the sky. "I knew it. I knew I was a messenger for the gods! Joy!" He fairly pranced over to them, and kissed first Elissar, then Kalasin, and then Kaddar.

The Imperial Family stared.

"I love all of you," was the next, emotional proclamation, as he scrubbed at his eyes.

Kaddar grinned, recovering from the rather sloppy cheek kiss. "I think your new godson approves of you," he said, watching Elissar mew a little and stare at Zaimid curiously.

Zaimid's jaw dropped. "Me? Godson? _I _have a godson!" The chief healer looked as if he was going to squeal. Then he decided against it, stood up straighter, fixed his hair and tunic, and squared his shoulders. "I am ready to accept the responsibility of training, supervising, wiping, burping, feeding, and otherwise tending to Prince Elissar. Yes, I am," he cooed to the baby. "Because he's a _handsome _little prince, yes he is, with a nice nose and normal-sized ears, too…"

Kalasin rolled her eyes, and she and Kaddar laughed as Elissar gave a little squeak of a burp. Zaimid grinned at them, silently, and then chuckled.

"What is it?" asked Kaddar.

"Nothing," Zaimid giggled. "It's just so _funny_, you know…you and Kally."

"Why's it funny?"

Zaimid flopped down on the bed unceremoniously. "I mean, it's _got _to be the strangest love story ever. You two married rather unwillingly and hated each other. It was kind of ridiculous; you have to admit. Hogging blankets, drawing unkind pictures, poking with quills, constantly arguing…really pathetic. When you started to be friends, the ice caps in Scanra almost melted in surprise.

"Not a lot of people even thought you'd make it past the friend stage. You know, settle into the whole working relationship thing. And then, even _when both _of you fell in love and Kalasin was nice and sweet and wonderful enough to admit it, and _you_ were obdurate enough to reject her, things _still_ worked out." Zaimid beamed. "It's inspirational."

Kalasin and Kaddar both flushed. "It's hardly…you know…wasn't obdurate…sweet and wonderful, thank you…" they muttered, more or less in unison.

"It's like a fairy tale. It would have been easier if you two had just fallen in love at the start, because I know you could have," said Zaimid thoughtfully. "But then it wouldn't have been _this _kind of fairy tale. Not an average one. _Definitely _not your average Carthaki fairy tale."

Quite a while later, after he had left and everybody else had come and congratulated them, Kalasin snuggled up to Kaddar and he wrapped his arm around her. Elissar had fallen sound asleep, making little mewing sounds in his sleep.

"Is it true, what Zaimid said?" she asked drowsily. "About this being a fairy tale? If it was, would this be our happily ever after?"

He bumped her head with his playfully. "I'm not sure. We're more than happy, but ever after? Since when have things been easy? After all, we have the rest of our lives to deal with. In fairy tales, the 'happily ever after' always implies that the protagonists live, well, happily ever after. Rather mundane, don't you think?"

"You're right," Kalasin sighed. "But I'm happy," she said.

"Good. And, Kally?"

"Mmm?"

"You know…I'm glad that I can live out the rest of this story with you."

Kalasin rested her head on his shoulder, blinking back sudden tears of happiness. "I guarantee things will never be mundane around here. I love you, Kaddar."

"I love you too, Kal. Always and forever."

---

--

-

I'm only saying it once--THIS IS NOT THE END! Next chapter isn't the end, either. Chapter after the next isn't the end, either. After that, I make no promises. -grin-

Infinite thanks to everybody who's been lovely enough to review.


	25. Plots Hatched

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

It was hardly a happily ever after. Another thing with happily ever afters in books? The protagonists always had one or two perfectly peaceful, complacent, gorgeous, agreeable, polite, moderately Gifted and clean children.

That would have been nice, in Kalasin and Kaddar's case. Instead, they ended up having exactly four appallingly lively, loud, excitable, intelligent, gorgeous, reasonably polite and reasonably clean children. Of course, all four of them weren't moderately Gifted with something nice and pretty, like healing skills or plant or weather magic. Rather, Elissar, Kalahari, Emry, and Remus had _all _inherited war magic. _Strong _war magic.

It was really rather unfortunate that all of them, rather then being docile with their magic, liked blasting things.

"Oh, Kaddar, why this?" It had quickly become Kalasin's favorite phrase after Elissar had begun teething. She still remembered how the disaster had unfolded.

Zaimid had strutted into the nursery, bearing several large stuffed toys, a bag of baby carrots, and no less than ten teething rings. "Hello, Elissar, you wonderful little prince," he cooed. "Hello, beautiful Kally. You look absolutely gorgeous."

"I love you too, Zaimid," Kaddar cut in dryly. "You look rather handsome, too."

"I know, love," preened the chief healer. "But don't criticize. I come bearing tribute."

Elissar gurgled from his place on Kalasin's lap, looking joyful. At seven months, he had already learned that the appearance of Zaimid meant good things. His godfather sat down, presenting him with something big and clear with funny little bright things floating inside. It looked _good. _

Kaddar snorted with laughter as his son attempted to shove the entire teething ring into his mouth. Elissar looked a bit perplexed at the fact that it wouldn't go all the way in, and gave a squeak of a surprised hiccup. He seemed to be enjoying it, though, judging from his content mumblings.

"Finally," muttered Kalasin. "He's got something to bite aside from Beans' tail."

The three gave a collective shudder. The Imperial puppy had been deeply scarred by the experience, and now sat on his plumy golden tail whenever Elissar was in the general vicinity.

The baby was becoming frustrated with the teething ring. There was a little floating duck inside the ring, and he _wanted the duck, and the duck wouldn't come out. _

"My, he seems to have become rather fixated," Zaimid observed. "His face is getting red."

Kalasin was about to intervene, when the teething ring burst into flames. The liquid splattered on the floor, the plastic incinerated and turned into a ball of fire that hovered above Elissar's head, and the little duck toy fell out of the ring into his lap.

"Oh. Mithros." Kalasin began to wail. "What if he becomes a pyromaniac?"

"You…us…Elissar…seriously…"

"War magic? Oh, _gods._"

Elissar, oblivious to the shock he had caused, picked up his duck and hugged it.

--

So, they had been more prepared when little Kalahari Iliniat was born, about three years later. Not prepared for the actual _news _of a baby, no. The stunned couple had simply stared at each other for a few minutes.

"This is _all your fault." _

"How is this supposed to be _my _fault! The baby's in _you, _not _me!_"

"You're _responsible _for putting the baby in me!" she flailed.

"You were responsible for the charm!"

"It wasn't _my _fault it fell off!"

Kaddar buried his head in his hands. "This wasn't supposed to happen so soon."

The empress sighed. "It's been, what, a little less than two and a half years? People have been hinting."

"Fine."

"Fine. I'm taking all of the credit I can take without making myself sound like a biological freak."

A bit immature, yes, but they made peace with it after a while. And when their little Kalahari was born in December of 467, she was welcomed with joy by parents and elder brother alike. Elissar had stared gravely at his little sister for quite a while, before trying to pronounce her name. "Kalahari," enunciated Kaddar clearly.

Elissar took her little hand in his. "Kalhri."

"No, Kala_ha_ri."

"Kalri?"

"Kal_ahar_i."

"Kari!"

The couple exchanged wearied glances. "Kari it is, then," said Kalasin, ruffling his hair. "Do you think we should have picked something a bit more…pronounceable?"

"Pfft. It's not _our _fault Elissar has speech problems."

"Kaddar!"

"Fine, fine, just kidding." Kalahari looked up at him and gave a happy gurgling sound. She looked almost exactly like Elissar, except for the age difference and skin a few shades lighter. Kaddar wondered if she would be a war mage as well, and hoped not. Elissar was rather mild-tempered most of the time, but when upset, he had a rather uncanny knack for setting curtains on fire. Along with vases, gloves, tablecloths, and—anything flammable, really.

Kaddar resolved not to let Kalahari near teething rings for quite a while.

A lot had happened in the last three years. Some good, some bad, some ugly, and some just plain _shocking. _One of the more _shocking _events was Zaimid's marriage to a princess of the Copper Isles. Yes. Somebody had actually _married _Zaimid. Out of their own free will, at that. Zaimid was obviously besotted, but privately Kaddar doubted the woman's mental health.

Well, they would probably be a good match, then. Kaddar still remembered The Speech. Zaimid had gone down on his knees, pledged his undying adoration for Kalasin, and then went on into a heartfelt rambling session about how even though she would forever be his first love, it was time for him to move on to somebody who actually loved him back. However, he had said, wiping his eyes, if Kalasin ever showed an interest in taking a harem, he would be there for her.

And then Kaddar had kicked him out.

At least there had been no further mentions of harems since then. Zaimid had mellowed out a little since the birth of his son (in some misguided attempt to become a suitable role model) Mequen, who was a couple of months younger than Elissar. The two had become fast friends, and the quiet and meek Mequen could usually be found at Elissar's side, helping plot the dastardly scheme of the week.

Kalahari learned to walk by crawling at their heels and making the soles of Elissar's sandals smoke if he happened to walk too fast. Not like they were exactly sprinting away from her, though. After quite a few pairs of sandals were scorched, Elissar took one hand, reluctantly gave Mequen the other, and they took it into their own hands to teach her how to walk.

Old habits died hard, because fifteen years later, that was still where one could most easily find Kalahari Iliniat, except now Mequen wasn't allowed to hold her hand. No other male was, and her elder brother made sure of that. He glared at anybody who came in the general vicinity of her, and during parties where dancing was involved, he recruited the very trustworthy Mequen and a few select others to make sure no unworthy ones laid a hand on his sister.

Of course, Elissar had no way of knowing that Kalahari was madly in love with Mequen, and had been since she was five years old.

But that was another story.

Between Elissar, Kalahari, dealing with a country, and those associated stresses; Kalasin and Kaddar felt their life was _very _full. There was nothing else they needed or wanted.

It was Midwinter. A _cold _Midwinter, and Kalasin had rediscovered the sable blanket that Kaddar had given her for their first anniversary. It had been a long time since that sable blanket had been properly put to use, and after coupling it with the bearskin rug, some strawberries and a little bit of whipped cream, both Kalasin and Kaddar came to an agreement that that was the _best _night in history, ever.

There was lots of food at the Spring Festival three months later, and Kaddar was rather amazed at Kalasin. She just _wouldn't stop eating. _After the dinner, they had stopped at the kitchens for more food. And after about an hour of yet more eating, she had captured a huge plate of mango, watermelon, and coconut salad, for "a little snack, in case I get hungry later."

"You are a _pig_," said Kaddar, amazed. "If you keep eating, you'll get fat. And if you dare to get fat, I'll throw you in the dungeons and starve you."

"Delightful," she muttered back, "but you know, I'm not as terrified at the suggestion as I would have been about eight years ago. You're all bark and no bite. Remember your frequent threats to tie me up and ravish me?"

"The only reason I didn't actually _do _it was because I thought you would claw my shoulders until they bled. You're so ridiculously _emphatic. _Now, give me that watermelon!"

Kalasin shoved the piece in question into her mouth triumphantly, trying not to drip juice all over. "No!"

The emperor glared at her. "You ate the last piece."

"I know," she said smugly.

"I _hope _our children don't grow up like you."

"Better the watermelon-scarfing pig than the unbearable snot, though."

Kaddar made a sound between a growl and a snarl. _"Sadist." _

"Back at you, sweetheart," she said flirtatiously, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Mmm," he smirked at her. "Don't make promises you can't fulfill."

"What d'you mean, can't fulfill?"

He flopped down on the bed, and sighed deeply. "Last time, you got up on your knees, and then randomly _fell _on me. I think your big old coconut head almost crushed my chest. I'm lucky I didn't die a horrible death by squishage."

The empress flopped down next to him, before giving him the evil eye. "I was dizzy. But more importantly, are you calling me heavy? Are you calling me _fat?_ I, Kalasin, the gracious and lovely queen of the Southern Lands, _fat?_"

"By no means am I doing such an atrocious thing," he replied smoothly, stroking her hand. "However, I _do _think your hearing and sense of balance are becoming affected by your old age."

"Old age? I, unlike you, just turned twenty-six. I, unlike you, am at the primeof my life. You, my lord, are _old. _Ancient. _Creaky_."

"With age comes wisdom."

"Antiquated old raisin!"

Kaddar raised an eyebrow at her. "If I wasn't so old and lazy, I'd reach over and thoroughly punish you for that statement."

"Please punish me?" she asked, rolling within reach. "I've been dreadfully sassy and deserve my due punishment. You've let me get away with too much lately…"

"Come here, you dreadful little brat."

--

The next morning, Kalasin woke up feeling vaguely nauseous. She dragged herself out of bed, barely managed to pull on her robe, and then came her mad dash to the bathroom, where she was violently ill.

"Aaargh," she moaned into the sink. Being ill was _traumatizing. _At least now her stomach had calmed down a tiny bit.

Well, that was what she had thought, until a fresh wave of nausea claimed her. And now there was dizziness, too. Kalasin clung to the edge of the sink, trying not to overbalance and fall over. Luckily, she suddenly felt a pair of strong arms holding her steady, and one hand swept her hair out of her way, while she threw up. Again.

"This is really embarrassing," she mumbled against Kaddar's shoulder.

He winced sympathetically and gave her a glass of something very green and minty-smelling. Kalasin accepted it, feeling a little shaky, and drank it down. Her stomach calmed slowly, and her mouth felt fresh again. "You all right?"

"No, I don't think so," she said, finishing up the last drops of the potion. "I'm so sick I'm not even hungry."

They stared at each other for a few minutes, slowly piecing everything together.

"Oh. No. No. No, no, _no. _No, this is _not _happening." Kaddar tried to convince himself, and then began to pace.

Kalasin clamped both hands over her mouth, horrified. "Oh, Mithros, yes it is. Why are _you_ complaining? _You_ don't have to _have_ another one!"

"Yes, well, if you're pregnant we can't exactly burn up the sheets, can we?"

She dropped her head into her hands. "After this baby is born, I'm going to tattoo a pregnancy charm on my chest."

Kaddar sighed deeply, and pulled her into his arms, before giving her a reassuring kiss—as reassuring as things could get when both of them were panicking just a few moments ago—as they sat down on the armchair. "Try something a little more out-of-the-way," he murmured against her hair. "The small of your back? Bottom of your left shoulder blade?"

"Sounds good to me," Kalasin sat back against him and whimpered a little. "Elissar's six. Kalahari's four and a half. And one more, I guess…three sounds good enough for the succession, doesn't it?"

"Absolutely perfect, _no more, _two children and one in the rather near future is enough to keep Zaimid safely away from the throne."

"Agreed."

--

The Imperial Palace celebrated at the news of the latest addition to the Iliniat family. However, there was one person who found this bit of information very distressing. So he called a war council.

"Where is the _tablecloth?_" hissed Elissar Iliniat, trying to shrink under the huge table. "We could be discovered, somebody could invade, and we could be _seen _by the enemy—"

"Enemy? What enemy?" Kalahari tugged at her brother's tunic, round-eyed. "Are the Gallans going to kill us and set our heads on fire and use them for table ornaments?"

"No, silly," sighed Elissar. "Gallans are the _cannibals._ _Scanrans _are the ones who kill people and set their heads on fire and use them for table ornaments."

The princess whimpered.

The door to the empty drawing room opened and closed hurriedly, and the tapping of little boots could be heard. Kalahari's eyes flew open, recognizing the boots. She made for a lunge out of the table, but her brother grabbed the back of her dress and pulled her back. "Quiet! What if it's a spy? _Password?" _he asked authoritatively.

There was a sigh from outside. "Pickled toes."

"Let him in!" Kalahari peered out from under the table. "Come on, Mequen."

Mequen scurried under the table quickly, careful not to bump himself against the table's legs. He looked a bit rumpled, and his dark brown hair was in a state of disarray. "Sorry about the tablecloth," he said, glancing around the new meeting room. "I tried to get one from Mama and then little Saru climbed on me and made me play pony with her."

There were winces of sympathy all around. "What's the meeting about?" asked Kalahari at last, observing her brother and friend. "Is it important? You made my doggy Beans stand guard outside."

"You mean you don't _know_?" scoffed Elissar, with all the wisdom and knowledge of his six years. "And he's _my_ doggy too, Kari. Now, both of you, come here. We have to make sure nobody hears us."

The three children huddled close, and Elissar began to mutter conspiringly. "It's about Mama and Papa."

"What's happening?"

"Mama's going to have…" he paused for dramatic effect, and lowered his voice, "a _baby._"

Two voices gasped in unison.

"Really?" asked Mequen, sitting down hard. "But…but…why didn't we know about this?" His voice rose to a bit of a distressed wail at the end of the sentence. As the official captain of intelligence, his job was to _know _these things. And falling down on his job could be fatal. One day babies, the next day random foreign invasions.

Kalahari scuffed her sandal against the floor, her brow furrowing in thought. "A baby? A…little sister?"

"Not a little sister," Elissar scoffed. "Taking care of _you _is hard enough. I don't want any more _girls._"

Dreadfully offended, Kalahari moved close to Mequen and stuck her tongue out. "I don't like you _either. _Mequen's going to be my new brother. _You _can keep the baby."

The prince sniffed in disdain. "I don't want the baby. Mama and Papa can keep it. And _you _can't go with Mequen," he said, eyeballing the two suspiciously, and Mequen fidgeted as Kalahari, not intimidated, grabbed his hand and made a face at Elissar.

There was a tense silence under the drawing room table for a few minutes as the three children stared each other down.

Mequen was the first to break down. "This is tearing us all apart," he announced glumly. "It's not even _born _yet, and—"

"And it's ruining things already," completed Elissar.

Kalahari slouched, disregarding all the posture lessons that had been drilled into her young head, and gave the world-weary sigh she had learned from her father. "I wish it would go away. What if Mama and Papa won't want us after it's born?"

"They still wanted Elissar after _you_ were born," offered Mequen sensibly. "And my mama and papa still wanted me after they got Saru."

His wise words went unheeded, because now Elissar was fretting, too. "What if Beans likes the new baby more than he likes me and Kari?"

At the mention of her precious puppy, Kalahari inhaled sharply. With all the fierce determination of her four and a half years, she put her chin in the air and squared her shoulders. That was the final straw. "No," she said, stamping her foot. "_No,_ I don't want a baby and I'm going to tell Mama and Papa, and then they can stop the baby from coming." Looking around at the rather shocked faces of her war council, she adjusted her little tiara regally. "Who's with me?"

Mequen was first to bow to the imperial charisma, and he nodded. "I am, Kari. I'll help you protest."

Elissar glared at his best friend for a moment. "Okay, fine, I'll help too."

The three children struggled out of their hiding place, before going and standing near the door. "Remember, we have to make sure nobody knows about our plan," Elissar advised sternly. "We have no society. We have no council. We are not the secret force that keeps this empire running smoothly."

Kalahari and Mequen nodded obediently.

"Kari, you have dust on your braid and on your dress. Mequen, you have a dust bunny on your head."

Mequen wrinkled his nose, after sneezing and brushing the bunny off. "We need a better meeting place," he said, before giving both ends of the deserted hallway a covert glance and bounding off.

Kalahari and Elissar followed after a suitable amount of time, as Beans had long since abandoned his guard duty for something more enjoyable, like following his mommy Kalasin around the palace and looking menacing when his human master tried to touch her.

"So, this is it, Kari," said Elissar finally, giving her hand a squeeze. "This is the scheme on which all of our hopes for the future rest. We can't mess things up. We need to be serious and devoted to the purpose."

Kalahari nodded, and almost tripped over her hem. She offered the passing Duke Samjan a sunny smile, and he gave what could almost be described as a lovesick sigh. "Elissar?"

"Mmm?"

"Before we start the purpose, can we go to the kitchens and ask Aunt Varice for chocolate?"

Elissar considered. "We need to do co—coin—" he stumbled over the word he had overheard another councilor use so easily. "Coinsinnuring! We need to do coinsinnuring after that, Kari."

"Chocolate, then coinsinnuring," repeated Kalahari, nodding her head decisively.

The siblings made their way to the kitchens with hardened resolve. The plan was on.

---

--

-

Connoisseur. -dead- That's what Elissar was going to say. Because he's simply too fancy to say "spying and gathering information." .;;

If you review, I'll love you.


	26. The Penultimate Peril

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Empress Kalasin was feeling irritable.

It was too hot. It was getting _humid. _Carthak wasn't supposed to be _humid. _

Varice had made her favorite coconut ice for dessert that afternoon. Kalasin knew that she probably shouldn't take any. After all, if she tried one, she would probably end up demolishing the entire tray. But the shimmering pink squares tempted her so much it was almost painful, and she found herself reaching for one. She chewed it slowly, feeling bliss spread from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, making her feel lightheaded.

"Mmm," she mumbled as she swallowed the dessert, closing her eyes contentedly. It was refreshingly icy and sweet as it slid down her throat and into her stomach…

…and a wave of nausea suddenly overcame her.

"Oh, Goddess!"

With that, Kalasin had shoved her chair back, deserted Varice, Nadi, and Nadareh, and dashed out of the private dining hall as fast as she could. Thanks to some miracle, she managed to reach her rooms and bathroom before throwing up her entire lunch.

Kalasin moaned aloud, clinging to the sink. "It looks like you and I are going to become very closely acquainted, dear sink," she told it despairingly. "It's not _fair. _I didn't have morning sickness with Elissar and Kalahari. Why this one?"

The marble sink gazed back at her sympathetically.

"It hates me already," Kalasin muttered. "It doesn't like me because it didn't like being thought unwanted. Now I'm paying the price."

She wandered back to the study and flopped down on an armchair, after liberally dosing herself with the minty-green drink. She felt sweat trickle down her spine and under her corset and crinolines. Her thin stockings felt like they were woven out of Marenite wool. _This is absolutely unbearable, _she thought miserably. _We _have _to go to Radzyn, or else I'll boil and die. _

Coming to a decision, Kalasin pulled herself out of the armchair and headed toward their bedroom. Stripping off all of her clothes, she tossed them into a heap in the corner, until all she wore were her underthings. It was not very imperial. It was completely undignified. But it was the first time she had felt comfortable all day.

The light sheets were cool against her bare skin, and she pulled them over her, snuggling into bed. Her back was tired and aching, she was beginning to feel hungry again, and she felt a little guilty for running out on her friends like that.

Kalasin absentmindedly rested one hand on her stomach, feeling the slight curve there. "Oh, baby," she murmured, half-asleep. "I know I'll love you, but right now I wish you were disrupting my life a bit less. I haven't kept a meal down in a week. Be nicer to your mommy, little one."

She fell into a deep sleep, dreaming about nothing except moving waves of comforting darkness. At some point Kalasin's mind began to near the edge of consciousness, and she became vaguely aware of a tingling sensation deep within the pit of her stomach and soft trails of fingertips against her skin.

"Kaddar," she said blearily, and he jumped a little, startled.

"Sorry. You weren't supposed to wake up."

Now fully awake, she opened her eyes and rolled onto her back, glaring at her husband. "I was asleep and comfortable. Until you had to go and wake me."

"But Kal, sorry, you just looked so delectable, lying there—"

"Pervert," she said disdainfully. "You just couldn't control the urge to pet me, could you?"

Kaddar collapsed next to her, before pulling her close and kissing her cheek. "No, I couldn't. You're very pettable." His fingers traced the elegant curve of her spine, and he nuzzled the ticklish spot on the soft skin between the bottom of her ear and neck.

"You're being mischievous again," she told him, fighting the urge to snuggle close. "Isn't it enough that I'm already pregnant?"

Kaddar sighed despairingly. "You're going to hold this against me for the rest of our lives, aren't you?"

"Only until my morning sickness goes away," she replied. "And…mmm…stop _kissing _me! It's so…distracting…"

The emperor grinned. "Distraction techniques. You aren't thinking about morning sickness now, are you?"

"No," she admitted. "Come here and distract me some more."

"Thoroughly?"

"_Very _thoroughly."

After having her worries kissed and petted away, Kalasin lay back against his chest. "I'm enjoying being lazy."

"Pregnant or not, you aren't going to be allowed to be lazy much longer," he said mock-sternly. "It was very easy today, though, wasn't it?"

"That's only because there were no meetings and no…" she paused, frowning. "No children."

Kaddar ran his fingers through his hair. "No children? I haven't seen Elissar or Kalahari all day, come to think of it."

Kalasin groaned. "What kind of mischief do you think they're cooking up?"

"Something awful, no doubt," he replied grimly. "I hope that they haven't gotten into the kitchens again. I think that episode with the snails and cordial almost gave my mother a heart attack."

"Should we get out of bed, hunt them down, and chastise them thoroughly?" She stretched like a cat, daring him to say no.

Cursing her womanly wiles, Kaddar began to tickle her ribs. "Oh, no, of course not. Leave that to Zaimid."

Kalasin squealed aloud, flailing and catching his chin with her hand. "Mercy! Stop, you brute!"

"No," he replied, pinning her neatly. "I _miss _being an awful brute. Oh, by the way, I intend to kidnap you tonight and take you to the Hall of Mirrors and ravish you. With ropes."

Kalasin faked a yawn. "How unoriginal. You can't use the ravishing threat anymore. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not young, impressionable, eighteen, sheltered, and innocent anymore. Ravishing and de-virginizing me won't be very fun, you know."

"What shall I do to you, then?"

"We never _have _tried dominant/submissive before…"

She laughed. "You know, if you keep asking that, I might actually say yes."

"Oh, really?"

"Really." She turned her nose up at him pertly, and he had to laugh. "You're adorable."

"I know."

Several taps at the door interrupted the flirtation before it could turn into anything more. "Who is it?" Kaddar called, trying to mask his annoyance.

"Elissar and Kari," a small voice replied.

Kalasin smirked, exchanging a glance with her husband, and grabbing her robe before tying it securely around her. "Why should we believe it's you? It could be foreign spies pretending to be our little bratty children."

"We're not bratty," Elissar protested indignantly. "And we have Beans, see? Beans wouldn't go with foreign spies. Speak, Beans."

The dog woofed obediently, and Kaddar sighed. "Fine, I suppose I'll have to let you brats and the overgrown furball through. Come in."

The door banged open, and all three of them trooped in. First Beans, wagging his tail happily and panting, then Elissar, and then Kalahari. They lined up single-file in front of the bed, looking solemn.

"We have a proposition," said Elissar at last, crossing his arms and scowling at his parents.

"Why, Kally," drawled Kaddar. "I believe we've done something to incur the wrath of our spawn."

"We're not spawn, papa," Kalahari frowned. "We're children."

Kalasin looked at her daughter. "Kalahari, no, spawn and children are—never mind." She gave Kaddar a significant glance, practically screaming, _see how you confuse them? _"What were you saying?"

Elissar took a deep breath. "We don't want the baby."

Kalasin and Kaddar stared.

"It's going to ruin everything," said Kalahari with conviction. "Everyone's going to like it better than us. It's going to cry and take our stuffed animals and it'll make Beans like it more than it likes me and Elissar."

"And if it's a sister, I have to watch her, too. If it's a brother, then…then…I don't want a brother! If you and Mama just decide not to have a baby anymore, then it would be better for all of us," finished the prince, wringing his hands nervously. "And you and Mama don't have to watch over another one of us, either. Aunt Varice won't have to lock the chocolate cabinets. Or keep us away from all the bowls of cordial. So please please please don't have another baby!"

"Pretty please?" pleaded Kalahari, giving both parents her most appealing look.

Beans barked in solidarity with his two human siblings.

Kalasin buried her head in her hands. "Oh, Mithros, why us?"

Kaddar nudged her. "Are you going to explain?" he asked in flawless Gallan. The children blinked at the sudden language change.

"No—why should _I_?" replied Kalasin in the same language.

"You're a woman. This is a rather feminine issue."

The empress glared. "You did not just say what I think you said."

"Well? How does a father explain to his own children that he, to put it bluntly, likes rolling around on a sable blanket and bearskin rug with their mother, and that's how their new little brother or sister came into existence? As in, how do we explain that we aren't…um…the chastest people around? After all, recreational sex and accidental children weren't exactly part of the marriage contract and job descriptions." Kaddar fidgeted slightly, aware of the confused glances of the children. He loved his evil little spawn, but they caused the most awkward situations _ever._

"Gods. Are we supposed to let our children think that they were the products of immaculate conception?" asked Kalasin, amazed.

Kaddar nodded furiously. "How else are we supposed to do it?"

"Kaddar, they have to know the facts of life _sooner _or later."

He blinked at her, a sudden thought occurring to him. "How old were you when _you_ learned the, ah, facts of life?"

"That's off the topic," she fidgeted.

"Tell me!"

"Fourteen," she said, blushing. "I attended the University for a time. I heard things. And saw things."

Kaddar looked absolutely outraged.

"Don't worry," she hastened to assure him. "I only heard the vaguest of theories. _You _were the one who taught me everything about practical applications of the aforementioned theories. And then some."

"Yes, well," he preened, mollified. "Shall we just tell them that what happened was irrevocable? As in, we ordered a baby and can't withdraw our order. Sounds good?"

_Masculine pride, _thought Kalasin wryly. "Sounds good. Now, children," she said, switching back to Carthaki without a missed beat. "Come up here."

All of them stormed the bed with large-scale blanket scaling, and in Beans' case, a huge bound that catapulted him into Kaddar's lap. "Ow! Get off, dog!" He tried to push the big golden dog off of him, but to no avail. Beans simply licked his cheek and gave him a happy smile.

Kalahari scowled at her father and sat on Beans, hugging him around the neck and putting an arm around her father's shoulder. "Don't yell at him, papa. He's a nice doggy."

"Be a positive role model, Kaddar," chided Kalasin, thoroughly enjoying the glare that he sent her way. She cuddled Elissar, who made a face and tried to wriggle away. "Anyway, children, about the baby…"

"You're stopping it from coming?" asked Elissar, wide-eyed with gratitude.

Kalahari flung her arms around Kaddar's neck, half-choking him. "Thank you thank you thank you! Elissar and I are going to be nice forever, we promise!"

"Forever and ever!"

The empress sighed, leaning against Kaddar. "Is there any chance that you two will be nice forever and ever even if I _do_ have a baby?"

Kalahari looked at Elissar, and he spoke for both of them, turning his nose up. "No."

Kalasin gave Kaddar a look. "They're not listening to reason. Will you allow me to tickle them until they burst their little ribs laughing? At _least _until they start listening to what we have to say, without being awful and contrary?"

Before their father could reply, both children squealed and went to the far side of the bed, where they took refuge behind a large pillow. Kalahari was small enough to hide behind it completely, but the top of Elissar's quivering head was visible. At last, he chanced a glance above the pillow, and gave his parents a wary look. "We'll listen. Please don't let mama tickle us."

"Fine. Now come here."

They brought their shelter with them, and sat just outside of arm's reach. "Let the nego—negotli—negotliatsions—begin," said Elissar haughtily, rather proud of himself for the flawless tackle of the big word.

Kalasin drew herself up to her full height. "Well, then. I can't stop myself from having this baby, and you or anybody else can't stop it, either. It's like…an order. We ordered the baby, and one can cancel an order like that."

"Why?" asked Kalahari innocently. "Why can't you cancel the order? And why did you and papa want another baby?"

"Aren't we _enough_?" wailed Elissar melodramatically.

Kaddar rubbed his head, feeling a headache coming on. "Oh, you two are enough. Trust me. But let's just say that…um…babies…they don't exactly listen to orders. They just…happen. And look, are you two _sure_ that you don't want a little brother or sister? I mean, Elissar, you didn't exactly understand why Kalahari was born. You weren't too excited about it, either. But now you're the best of friends."

"It's different with Kari," Elissar explained. "I have to take care of her. She's nice. She likes me. What if the new baby isn't nice? What if it doesn't like me?"

Kalasin reached out and pulled them both into her arms. "Just trust me on this one," she murmured softly. "I guarantee that you'll love Remus, and that he'll love you back."

"Remus?" asked Kalahari. "Is that his name?"

She shrugged, blushing. "If it's a boy. It's just something that came to me in a dream."

"Are you sure?" squinted Elissar.

"Yes, I'm sure she is," replied the emperor. "Do you trust us now?"

"I suppose so," Elissar said grudgingly. He gave his mother a hug, clinging to her shoulders. "I still love you, even though we're going to have a Remus soon."

"Love you too, papa, even though we're going to have a Remus and you yelled at Beans," echoed Kalahari, who kissed the top of her father's head.

"We're leaving now," Elissar informed them, wriggling away from Kalasin's kisses. "We have important things to do."

"Have a nice time running the empire," Kaddar said dryly, ruffling his daughter's hair.

Kalahari giggled nervously. "Silly papa. We don't run the empire. We just do…kid things."

They dashed out of the room, slamming the door behind them.

Suddenly exhausted, Kaddar pulled his wife down on the pillows with him. "I love them. But they're so _tiring._"

"We just had to have appallingly lively children," she replied, burying her head in his shoulder. "What _do_ you think about Remus?"

"It's wonderful," he said. "Prince Remus Iliniat. Very imperial, don't you think? Commands respect. Where did you get the name from?"

Kalasin laughed. "I'm glad you think so. One of Lord Wyldon's dogs was named Remus. A little scamp of a thing, which rather describes this baby."

"Ah, well. It works. What are the chances that this one is going to be born calm, peaceful, and non-Gifted?"

She considered it for a few moments. "Zero to none."

Kaddar sighed again. Something that he was doing more and more often in his approaching old age. "Well, of course. They're _ours_, after all."

"To a rocket we've been tied, ready for the screaming ride, it's full of fuel and we've just lit the fuse." Kalasin quoted, staring at the ceiling.

"Nice. Rather accurate, too."

"This _has _been a screaming ride so far, hasn't it?" she asked. "Every moment of it."

Kaddar kissed her cheek affectionately. "Which is just the way I like it."

She rested her hand on her stomach. "I couldn't agree more."

---

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Last chapter before epilogue...-sighs-


	27. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Exactly six months later, Prince Remus Iliniat was born, in the autumn of 471. Ever since his birth, he had channeled the personality of the mischievous dog who had been his namesake. Great things had happened in his year, his aunt Varice would tell him later. The greatest was the unexpected birth of his twin brother. The healers hadn't expected twins from Empress Kalasin—it just wasn't in her bloodline. When they had discovered that she would indeed birth two, there had been fears for her life.

Kalasin survived, but barely. After the babies had been born, Nadi had given her a charm that she had forged herself, and whispered to Kalasin to put it on, and _keep _it on, because she couldn't survive another birth. _No more children, _she thought tiredly. She wouldn't be able to have any children anymore. Neither she nor her husband was very upset about that fact. Drifting through the realms of consciousness, Kalasin had remembered a vague, irrational fear that Kaddar wouldn't like not being able to have any more children.

The reality was very different. One thing she remembered more clearly was the memory of Kaddar's combing his fingers through her hair and kissing the tears away from her pale cheeks, telling her that he couldn't help but feel glad that they couldn't have any more. "Because I don't think I could stand any more worrying about you," he said gently. "I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am that you're all right, beloved."

She had cried even more at that, a little from the lingering pain, but mostly from gratitude that her beautiful Remus and Emry had been born healthy, and that Kaddar understood everything that had happened to her and didn't mind that there wouldn't be any more children.

Even after healing, Kalasin and Kaddar both had their hands full, what with raising their brood. Elissar and Kalahari were growing up and learning how to use their magic, and after they turned eleven, they would begin their studies and training at the Imperial University. Elissar's protective instincts were getting even stronger with every year past. He had tossed a nine-year-old boy who had dared to look at the Princess Kalahari in a way deemed less than appropriate into a fountain that summer, and Kaddar already pitied any poor soul foolish enough to have any affection for his only daughter.

Well, any poor soul foolish enough to have any _obvious_ affection for his only daughter. Personally, Kaddar had some suspicions about Mequen. But he decided to keep those to himself. Mequen was more than suitable. Of course, Elissar didn't have to know that.

Yet.

Remus and Emry had kept the palace on their toes ever since they had been old enough to walk. They also had war magic, something that their parents sighed over, but got used to, after the first ten sets of burned curtains or so. It wasn't so much their antics with their magic (although those were fairly dastardly, too), as their brilliant, evil genius minds, that got them into so much trouble.

Actually, until the age of ten, they hadn't gotten caught. But after that one incident with the exploding fish bladder, the imperial twins automatically became the default suspects for any misdemeanors, wrongdoings, pranks, and general dirty tricks that went on in or around the university or palace. Remus and Emry, far from feeling insulted, were rather proud of their reputation.

The mere _thought _of them going off to school made Kalasin shudder.

Of course, when they weren't tending to the children or to the country, Kalasin and Kaddar loved to spend some quality time together. The quality time together ranged from fighting over watermelon, arguing over proper grammar, debating whether Duke Samjan and the Lord of Sanjit were romantically involved, long walks on the beach at Radzyn, or reading gruesome horror novels or steamy romances over one another's shoulders.

There were also the outdoor trysts under the willow near the pond, the illicit garden romances against the trunk of Kaddar's pink dogwood, and their favorite by far—a rather comfortable rug in one of the more deserted libraries.

Zaimid Hetnim had watched his two best friends throughout their years together, from the day of their marriage—from the sullen, beautiful princess who had married a stubborn, nervous emperor such a long time ago, to the two royals caught in an awkward limbo between friends and lovers, and then to the couple trying to navigate the rather wild terrain of marriage, children, and ruling a country. They had come a _long _way, he realized. And they had hated and loved each other, and stuck together, every step of the way.

It was a rainy, boring evening, and for sheer lack of anything better to do, he had grabbed quill and parchment, and began the long recount of events, every detail of it.

He had told Kaddar and Kalasin about his chronicles once, during a rather drunken party. "Not Your Average Carthaki Fairy Tale, is what I'll call it," he said, pounding his fist on the table decisively. "It'll be the fairy tale of the generation—"

"Oh, shut up, Zaimid," said Kaddar good-naturedly, squeezing Kalasin's hand. "We're hardly a fairy tale."

"Don't ruin my fun, loves," he had told them, downing a glass of wine. "Wait and see."

Of course, there was no way that Kalasin or Kaddar could have known that their story would find a printing press, many, many years later.

There was no way they could have known that their story would be passed down from generation to generation, and across oceans and countries, all starting with the weary Princess Kalahari and Prince Mequen, who were just trying to get their high-spirited children to go to sleep with a bedtime story.

There was more to tell, and by no means did their story just end here. There were more trials and tribulations, triumphs and joys, victories and losses.

At the end of the bedtime story, though, the ending was that of all fairy tales.

_And they all lived happily ever after, until the end of their days. _

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_Fin._

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End file.
